


Dovahkiir Adventures; An ESO Chronical

by Kiba_Lover23, Sylvia_Fey



Series: Malyolpeyt [2]
Category: Elder Scrolls Online, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Alliance War, Black Marsh, Cyrodiil, Dark Brotherhood - Freeform, Dark Brotherhood Questline, Elder Scrolls Lore, F/F, F/M, FITN, Falling In Love, Forever In The Now, Friendship/Love, Gen, Love, Love at First Sight, M/M, Multi, Other, Quests, Randomness, Siblings, Thieves Guild, Thieves Guild Questline, blossoming love, eső
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2020-04-29
Packaged: 2020-06-26 16:17:11
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 5
Words: 53,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19771885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiba_Lover23/pseuds/Kiba_Lover23, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvia_Fey/pseuds/Sylvia_Fey
Summary: If you're reading my other story, Forever In The Now, this one takes place both in the future and the past. An Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) based set of stories that aren't in any particular order and don't follow any particular questline. The characters are Misty's children all grown up. Yes, all twelve of them. Here's the list in order of age:Ma'rahka (Khajiit; 29)Shalina (Altmer; 28)Solitar (Altmer; 28)Ram'ku (Argonian; 27)Sofia (Nord; 27)D'usha (Argonian; 25)Sissel (Nord; 24)Sher'tul (Orc; 24)Alesan (Redguard; 24)Maisha (Khajiit; 22)Zarain (Dunmer; 21)Minna (Bosmer; 20)Like their mother, they do a little bit of everything all over the place. This doesn't really contain any spoilers for FITN since it's taking place long after the events of it. Anyway, I hope you enjoy





	1. A Hostile Situation; Ma'rahka

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Razam-dar keeps saving Ma'rahka from prison and he helps out the Queen's Eyes and Queen Ayrenn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still not done writing FITN. I just almost finished a chapter, wrote for a few hours straight and my computer crashed, so I'm having a bit of a rage quit on that for a second but I'll have a couple chapters posted soon. Now, it'll just take a bit longer because ^_^ I got a job at Panera working 3rd shift so yeah.

He leaned against the iron bars of the cell, glaring at his feet with his arms sticking through the bars. Watch Captain Astanya's betrayal of him still fresh and red hot, burning a hole of hate in his chest. 

* * *

__

_"_ _On my authority as Captain, you're under arrest under suspicion of conspiracy to regicide!" the high elf captain shouted, drawing the attention of all guard around her._

_He furrowed his brows, giving the woman a confused glare, "what the hell are you talking about? I was helping you with..."_

_"SILENCE!" the woman screamed as his pack was ripped from his back and dumped all over the road._

_"What the fuck is wrong with you assholes?!?" he snarled, turning to jerk a guard away from his scattered items._

_"Care to add assault to the list as well?" the captain said, her voice laced with venom as she casually stepped around his stuff and lifted a few papers from the ground, "what's this? Deployment plans for the marines at the temple. And do I smell the taint of poison on the air? These are the tools of an assassin."_

_His eyes went wide before he let out a loud snarl, baring his feline teeth at the traitorous bitch, "you lying cunt! I was acting on your fucking orders!"_

_"Tsk, such language," the woman hissed, narrowing her eyes at him, "this is why you shouldn't allow cats in the Queen's army. They're nothing but savage beasts."_

_"I'll show you savage beast!" he roared, drawing his sword and rushing at the woman with it raised above his head._

_She dodged it, bringing her sword up to stop his backhanded attack as he snarled, baring down on her as she ground her teeth, "don't just stand there! Seize him!" she hollered at the guards as they drew their weapons and rushed him._

_He turned, throwing his shield out and bashing one across the head, sending him flying back into another one. He brought his sword up to block an attack from one of the other guards, giving the man a hard kick in the chest before turning back to the traitor as she brought her fist around, snapping his head to the side and causing him to stumble back a couple of steps. He slowly looked at her, narrowing his green eyes as he wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and spat on the ground, "my niece hits harder than you," he growled, lunging at the woman with his sword pointed for a pierce before someone hit him from behind, knocking him unconscious._

* * *

A chuckle from the dark, across from his cell brought him out of the memory as he looked up at the khajiit that stepped out of the shadows, giving him a smirk. 

"Well, well. You fought well, but not well enough," the khajiit said, folding his arms over his black armored chest. 

Ma'rahka growled at him, giving the Khajiit a glare through the iron bars, "I was set up," he snarled, getting a raised eyebrow from the khajiit as he lowered his angry gaze to his feet, "I don't go to jail. D'usha goes to jail. Solitar and Alesan go to jail. Sofia goes to jail. I. Do not. Go. To. Jail."

The khajiit tilted his head, watch Ma'rahka with calculating eyes before nodding, "how would you like to work with this one?"

Ma'rahka looked up at the khajiit taking a step back and folding his arms over his chest, "what's the catch?"

The khajiit chuckled, "so, you're more than just muscles. Good. Razum-dar doesn't like to have to explain things more than once," he said, watching Ma'rahka with caution.

"I know I got knocked out by one of the guards before I could take that bitch's head," he snarled, baring his teeth as he slammed his fist against the stone wall beside the cell door, "nobody locks up Ma'rahka Dovahkiir without just cause!"

Razum-dar chuckled, "and how do you plan to do revenge from behind those bars. Hmm? Do you plan to scream her to death?"

Ma'rahka's temper simmered slightly as he let out a calming breath, lowering his fist to his side, "no..." he said, giving the khajiit a nod, "alright. I'll work with you as long as I get my revenge."

Razum-dar gave him a grin, "excellent," he said, unlocking the cell.

Ma'rahka pushed the door open and stepped out, rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck.

"Woah. You are much bigger than you looked in that cell," Razum-dar said with a nervous chuckle, "you must have eaten well as a cub, yes?"

Ma'rahka smiled slightly, "with the way my mother cooks, it was hard not to."

"Ah. Razum-dar must meet your mother. When we are finished with this problem, of course," he said, glancing at the entrance to the prison, "come. You must warn the Queen and her battlereeve. The captain will attempt to murder the Queen of the temple." They moved up the stairs, Ma'rahka grabbing his weapons from the table conveniently located near the cells as Razum-dar explained what he had to do. "You must get past the captain's men. Seek out another of our lady's agents, Eshaba. She stands watch at the marketplace peddling her wares. Ask her for a souvenir of the first marines and she will set you on your path."

Ma'rahka nodded, tightening his bracers as they pushed through the door of the jail, "why do I get the feeling I'm the one doing all the work and you're just the one that gives me the quests?"

Razum-dar smirked, "you think someone with this handsome face would do the heavy lifting when he has someone with such muscle to do it for him? No, Razum-dar has other important things to do while you are warning the Queen," he said, clapping Ma'rahka on the arm, "good luck. Moons guide you."

Ma'rahka nodded, heading down the stairs toward the market. 

* * *

He trotted up the steps of the market, glancing at the argonian beating at a piece of metal wearing soldier armor from the Daggerfall Covenant. He gave the argonian a nod as he moved to the khajiit standing by a corner desk, writing on a board. He cleared his throat to get her attention, "excuse me, are you Eshaba?" he asked, getting an absent nod from the female.

She looked up at him from her writings, blinking in surprise at him as she lifted her eyes to his face, "you are quite large for a khajiit."

Ma'rahka sighed, halfway annoyed at the reaction that everyone had to him at first meeting, "yeah, I know. I'm larger than life. Blah, blah, blah," he muttered, folding his arms over his chest, "I'm looking for something specific and Razum-dar said to ask you."

Eshaba narrowed her eyes at him as she lowered the board, "is that so?"

Ma'rahka nodded, "I need a souvenir of the first Auridon Marines."

She smiled, "ah, yes. Eshaba has just what you're looking for. Of course, the souvenir comes with certain, expectations."

"I'm aware," Ma'rahka said, watching the woman kneel in front of a chest before pulling a guard uniform from the box and handing it to him, "thank you, Eshaba."

She gave him a nod before turning back to her writing. 

He moved down the steps, heading for a secluded area with only one thought on his mind. _I hope it fits._

* * *

 _God this damned codpiece is pinching,_ he thought, walking a little funny as he approached the stairs.He took a deep breath, trying to ignore the pinching and from flexing in the very tight armor as he started up the stairs toward the area where the Queen and her battlereeves were. He kept his eyes averted, pretending that he belonged where he was going. The guard gave him a raised eyebrow, but, after looking over his uniform, decided to ignore him. Ma'rahka was both relieved and in disbelief of the ignorance of the guards. He walked through the area with his head held high and his broad shoulders back. _Don't flex, don't flex, don't flex, don't flex._ A tall, beautiful altmer woman stood amongst a group of men, issuing orders to a recruit before the recruit saluted and jogged away. _That must be the Queen,_ he thought, glancing over the guards standing around her. From what he had read, Queen Ayrenn was a soldier before she became a queen. _If she's anything like mother, she'd appreciate the direct approach,_ he thought, starting for her. "Your majesty. A word," he called, his voice carrying and drawing the woman's attention. He stopped as a guard stepped in front of him, putting his hand against Ma'rahka's chest.

"Hold! Explain yourself! What are you doing here?" the man asked, giving Ma'rahka a stern glare. 

Ma'rahka returned the expression, "I was sent by Razum-dar to warn her highness," he said, keeping his voice low as he glanced at a couple of guards that were walking by.

"Razum-dar. Yes, I know the name. What do you need to warn the Queen about?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes at Ma'rahka.

"You're not very good at being subtle, are you?" Ma'rahka asked, getting a glare from the man, "there's a plot to kill the Queen."

The man snorted, folding his arms over his chest, "we've taken every precaution. The whole area is locked down. Watch Captain Astanya assured me."

Ma'rahka gave a low growl, "that bitch is the one behind it," he snarled, baring his teeth.

The guard shifted back a step, his hand going to the sword on his hip in caution. 

"A moment, Urcelmo," the Queen said, her voice gentle and soft as she moved toward them with both the grace of a queen and a soldier, "I would hear what this one has to say."

"Queen Ayrenn, I fear for your safety. Please disregard what was said and just..." 

The Queen cut him off, "Razum-dar was mentioned. He acts on my behalf. If you won't investigate, I will."

Urcelmo gave her an almost annoyed look before sighing, "apologizes, my Queen. As you will. You are a capable woman, but you must be wary."

Ma'rahka cleared his throat, "I don't mean to interrupt, but the longer we stand here, the more time that cunt has to plan and replan. I have a vendetta against her and I don't care who goes with me," he said, glancing toward the temple, "as long as she dies."

The Queen narrowed her eyes at Ma'rahka before glancing at Urcelmo, "well?"

Urcelmo gave her a slight bow before turning back to Ma'rahka, "fine. I'll go with you to investigate the temple and the captain. Come."

Ma'rahka narrowed his eyes in a glare, "fine, but that bitch is mine," he growled, falling into step beside the guard as they headed for the temple. 

* * *

They shoved the doors open and marched down the entrance toward the center of the room. Ma'rahka frowned at the woman laying on the ground, her hand over her stomach as blood trickled from a wound under it. Urcelmo rushed to the woman, kneeling down beside her and gently lifting her head into his lap. "Mara be merciful. What happened here?"

Ma'rahka narrowed his eyes around the area, drawing his sword and shield as his ears moved around on his head, listening for any sign of an ambush.

"You... I'm sorry," the woman gasped, sweat beading on her forehead, "I was wrong. I tried to stop them," she coughed, weakly pointing up toward the balcony, "up... there. On the balcony... It's Astanya. It's a trap!"

An arrow blossomed in the center of her chest, killing her in the soldier's lap. Ma'rahka turned, baring his teeth at Astanya as she appeared on the balcony, sneering down at them as Urcelmo stood, drawing his sword.

"Urcelmo," the woman said, getting a growl from Ma'rahka, "I see you've met my latest toy."

"Astanya! Traitor!" Urcelmo snarled up at the woman, his face a mask of angry that only paled to Ma'rahka's look of fury. "Come down here and face me!"

"Our Queen has betrayed us. I wanted her head. I'll settle for yours," Astanya said, her voice laced with venom as soldiers appeared from the shadows, "kill them."

Ma'rahka gave a loud roar as the first soldier rushed him, bringing his daggers around in a cross slice to cut Ma'rahka's chest. He brought his shield up, blocking the attack before lunging forward, hitting the man hard as he brought his sword across, hacking his head from his shoulders before turning to intercept the next one, booting him in the chest hard enough to send him flying back into a third. He snarled, turning to glare up at the woman as she smirked down at him.

"It seems this cat needs to be declawed," she said, leaping from the balcony to land in front of him. She drew her sword and took a fighting stance, taunting him, "here kitty, kitty, kitty."

Ma'rahka snarled at her, "I'm going to enjoy this," he growled, rushing forward as he brought his sword up and his shield in front of his chest. He brought the sword down as she lept back, narrowly avoiding his attack. He ground his teeth, swinging wildly at her as he growled and snarled, her laughter driving him insane. He finally stepped back, giving a loud roar as power radiated through his body. He felt his skin harden as spikes burst from his back, shoulders, and arms. He put his hand up toward her, his eyes glowing bright green as fire and earth mixed in his palm, becoming a ball of molten lava. Her eyes widened as his mouth spread in a grin, "eat fire, bitch." The ball shot forward, hitting her hard in the chest and sending her flying backwards to smack against the pillar, bouncing her head off the stone. He slowly moved toward her like a demon, his eyes seeming to glow in the candlelight. She started to get to her feet, only to grunt as he put his foot against her chest, pushing the air from her lungs as he pointed his sword toward her throat. He used the flat of his sword under her chin, tilting her head up toward him as her hands gripped his ankle. He smirked down at her, feeling the vengeance for being thrown in prison after helping people. "Nobody falsely accuses Ma'rahka Dovahkiir and lives," he growled, bringing his sword to the side slightly as fury flashed through his eyes, "nobody." He jerked the sword across her throat, spraying blood all over his boot and up his leg as she choked and gasped for air through the gash in her neck. He felt himself give her a cruel smile as the light of life dimmed from her eyes before he moved back from her, frowning at the blood on his pants and boots before sighing, "I'm going to have to write mother and ask her how she gets blood out," he muttered, turning to look at Urcelmo as he placed the sword on his hip, the look on the man's face saying that he thought Ma'rahka insane.

Urcelmo cleared his throat, "you..." he swallowed, looking at Ma'rahka with something close to fear, "where did you say you were from?"

Ma'rahka narrowed his eyes at the man, "I didn't."

Urcelmo gave him a nod, "good point. We best go tell the queen that the threat has been taken care of."

Ma'rahka nodded, "let's go."

"I'll get someone to clean up the bodies. You tell her highness," Urcelmo said, patting Ma'rahka on the arm before heading for a group of soldiers.

Ma'rahka moved across the road, walking straight for the queen, who turned to give him a raised eyebrow as he put his fist to his chest and bowed to her like he did his mother.

"Well? What did my protectors find?" she asked, her voice soft and smooth.

He remained bowed as he spoke, "we fought and defeated Astanya and her assassins."

"Astanya... I can't believe it. No doubt Urcelmo with triple his watch," she muttered before looking at him with almost hopeful eyes, "She truly was an agent of the Veiled Heritance?"

Ma'rahka nodded, "she said you had betrayed her," he said, lifting his eyes slightly to look at her.

"Betrayal!" she exclaimed, looking furious, "She turned against her people after years of service and she spoke of _my_ betrayal?!?" She huffed a few times before inhaling, "excuse me. I lost myself for a moment there."

Ma'rahka smirked, standing straight with his arms folded over his chest, "no worries, your highness. Your secret's safe with me," he said, giving her a wink. His smirk only widened with the pink tinting her cheeks.

She cleared her throat, straightening her helmet as she did, "she obviously could not be trusted, but you seem to have proven your worth," she put her finger to her chin as she gave a nod, "the marines are blunt instruments. A queen must have a lighter touch. You've met Razum-dar, first in the Eyes of the Queen." She put her hand out toward him, giving him a charming smile, "would you join him? Become an elite agent for the good of the Dominion?"

Ma'rahka gave her a raised eyebrow before shaking his head, "I'll help you out, your highness, but I belong to a different lineage and alliance. I should properly introduce myself though. I am Prince Ma'rahka Dovahkiir, eldest son of High Queen Melissa Dovahkiir of Skyrim."

Queen Ayrenn's eyes widened for a second before she nodded, narrowing her eyes at him, "I see..."

Ma'rahka chuckled, "don't worry. I'm not here as a spy for my mother. I'm just a typical adventurer that was trying to help and got the short end of the stick," he said, gently taking her hand in his large one, "but if you need me in your services, just give me any orders and your will shall be mine, your highness," he said, brushing a kiss on the back of her hand.

Ayrenn giggled involuntarily, her cheeks dusting pink before she cleared her throat, standing with her shoulders back and chin up as he let her hand slid from his, "by what power I hold, I name you an agent in my employ. You are now an Eye of the Queen, bonded to my service. Auri-el keep you safe and Xarxes guide your word."

Ma'rahka gave her a bow with his fist to his chest and his eyes closed, "my life for the crown."


	2. Forever Hold Your Peace; D'usha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> D'usha is one of my favorites of Misty's children. He's as smart-mouthed as she is and cocky AF, but he's good at what he does, whether it's sneaking into a woman's bedchambers or insulting a noble off their high horse. Enjoy, my friends. 
> 
> WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THIS QUEST!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Video referenced for this chapter:  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_04RKC7EvwY
> 
> Please be sure to check out his other videos and show him some love.

He sat up in the bed, yawning and stretching as he slid his legs off the edge of the bed. He scratched the back of his neck, tilting his head as the figure in the bed behind him stirred. He glanced over his shoulder, smirking at the redguard woman as she sighed contently in her sleep, her eyelids fluttering open as his tail curled around her leg, making her smile.

"Morning, beautiful," he hummed, turning to face her, tucking his foot under his leg as she sat up. The blanket slid down to pool in her lap as she stretched, arching her back and pushing her breasts out and up. He licked his lips as he growled his approval, leaning over to slip his arm around her back, pulling her across the bed into his chest as she giggled, "me likey."

He nuzzled her neck, nibbling on her shoulder playfully as she giggled, "D'usha. Haven't you had enough yet?" she asked, sliding her arms around his neck.

D'usha smirked against her shoulder, "of you baby, never," he purred, nibbling on her ear as she giggled. 

"Daddy will be home soon. You know how he hates argonians," she whined, getting a snort in reply.

"Then he'd really hate what I'm about to do to you, again," he breathed, pressing her back against the satin sheets as she giggled.

"Shamea! I'm home!" a voice called from outside the door before it opened, "I bought that perfume you like so...."

D'usha froze, looking over his shoulder at the fancily dressed Redguard standing in the doorway, staring at them with wide, shocked eyes. 

"Daddy!" Shamea's voice seemed to snap both of them out of the shock, spurring D'usha into action.

The man gave a loud roar of rage, lunging at the bed as D'usha rolled off the edge, grabbing his clothes and scrambling out the window... without looking. He cried out as he fell, landing on an awning before it ripped, sending him through the cloth covering to land hard on the ground. He groaned, furrowing his brow at the throbbing in his tail. "Ow. That hurt."

"GUARDS! GUARDS! GET THAT ARGONIAN!" the man was shouting from the window, drawing more attention than D'usha liked. 

He scrambled to his feet, jogging a ways away before pausing long enough to pull his pants on as he turned, giving the guy a grin, "Hey, Crown! Tell your daughter she's the hottest piece of tail I've had all week!" He had never seen a redguard look ready to explode, but that only made him laugh harder as he slipped into a back alley to the sound of the man screaming about killing him.

* * *

D'usha sighed as he hopped down from the chain ladder, causally walking down the stone ramp of the cistern as he whistled a tune. He gave the masked Orc leaning against the wall a smile, "hey Thrag! How's it going, my friend?"

Thrag rolled his eyes, "out on another 'conquest' D'usha?"

D'usha chuckled, "you know it," he said, starting to walk past the man.

"Hey, D'usha. Did Zeira speak with you about the wedding?" Thrag asked, pulling him to a stop.

D'usha turned back to him, shaking his head, "what wedding?"

"Cosh returned Magnifica Falorah's dowry. Seems she agreed to marry him to 'bind the futures of Taneth and Adah's Landing.'" the Orc said, giving a snort, "how romantic."

D'usha sighed, shaking his head as he rubbed the back of his neck, "well that's annoying."

"Indeed. Our old guild master is behind all this. Zeira wants Nicolas to pay for his betrayal," Thrag said, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the wall, watching a bosmer jog past them with a wolf cub at her heels, "find Zeira in the den and hurry, the wedding is very soon."

D'usha gave him a nod, "thanks Thrag. Remind me to introduce you to one of my girls later."

Thrag snorted, pulling his dagger and spinning it around in his hand a few times, "I'm positive any girl you introduce me to would come with strings attached to daddies with guards."

D'usha chuckled as he walked to the scratched wall, giving the stones a push and walking through the opening before it slid back into place. He trotted down the plank walkway, giving the richly dressed Argonian at the end a smile, "Walks! What's up my scaley friend?"

Walks-Softly rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest with a smirk, "have fun on your 'down time', or should I say up and down time?"

D'usha laughed, moving off to the side with Walks-Softly, "it's was fun until her dad came home."

Walks paused for a moment, putting his hand to his chest as he gave D'usha wide eyes, "oh my. How did you escape?"

D'usha shrugged, "how I always escape. Out the window," he said, giving the other argonian a grin as Walks chuckled.

"You are absolutely insane, my friend," Walks said, slapping D'usha on the shoulder as they stopped at Waylamud's stall. 

"Yo, Way! Check what I got," D'usha said, slapping a jeweled necklace down on the counter. 

Waylamud grinned at the necklace, lifting it up to check it in the candlelight, "what courtess did you swipe this from?"

D'usha shrugged, "the one I boned a few hours ago," he chuckled, "that's actually how I got her in bed. She caught me trying to swipe it and I told her that if she slept with me I'd put back everything I stole."

Waylamud laughed as Walks rolled his eyes, "that is fantastic!"

D'usha sighed, "yeah... Turns out her daddy doesn't like Argonians so that was the reason she fucked me, but hey! I'm not complaining."

Waylamud laughed heartily, "women trying to get back at daddy are the easiest."

D'usha nodded as the two bumped fists, "that they are, my friend. That they are."

Walks huffed at the two with a frown and narrowed eyes as they laughed, "you two are despicable. Using a woman like that."

D'usha rolled his eyes, taking the coin pouch Waylamud held out to him, "hey man, she was using me just as much as I was using her," he said before smirking at Waylamud, "in every way we could think of."

Waylamud chuckled as Walks sighed.

"That playboy attitude is going to get you in trouble someday. You realize that, right?" Walks grumbled as they headed for the stairs leading up to the meeting area.

D'usha sighed, "you know you're starting to sound like my siblings, right?"

"At least someone in your family has sense," Walks grumbled, making him chuckle as he approached the desk.

"There you are," Zeira said, giving him a smile that made him cock an eyebrow at her.

"What's up? Thrag said something about a wedding?" D'usha said, sitting on the edge of her desk as she nodded.

"This is our chance to repay Nicolas for selling out the Thieves Guild," she said, slapping the book in her hand shut as she stood. 

D'usha lifted a book from the desk, absently thumbing through it, "how we going to that?" he asked, giving her a smirk as she took the book from him.

"Nicolas must have planned all this. Stealing the dowry, using it as leverage against Falorah. Now she's bound to marry Cosh, his puppet," Zeira said, setting the books on the desk as she smiled at him, "so we're going to crash the wedding."

D'usha smiled back, "you know, you're real pretty when you smile like that," he said, getting an annoyed frown from the woman.

"I know more about your conquests than I like to, but nice try," she said, walking around the desk as he chuckled, following her to the large round table in the center of the meeting area, "if Magnifica Falorah learns exactly who she's about to marry, she'll turn the Iron Wheel on Cosh. And if we threaten Cosh's future, Nicolas will scuttle into the open." Zeira gave him a dark smirk, "I look forward to stepping on him."

D'usha chuckled, pulling his dagger and flipping it around in his hand, "you know, you and my mother would get along real well. She doesn't like betrayal either," he said, getting a raised eyebrow from the woman.

"You've never mentioned your mother before," Zeira said, giving him an almost curious tilt of the head, "I always assumed you crawled out of the swamp in Black Marsh."

D'usha chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck, "yeah. I try to keep my family life separate from my work life."

Zeira smiled, "what's wrong? Have problems with your family? If they threw you out, I wouldn't be surprised."

"Neither would I," Velsa said as she walked up the steps with Quen.

D'usha gave Velsa a smirk, "hey foxy. How you doing?" he purred, giving the dunmer a wink.

Velsa rolled her eyes and shook her head, "you have no shame."

D'usha chuckled, giving Quen a wink as she walked past, ducking her head as she cheeks flushed, "I'll get you to like me eventually, Velsa. Mark my words."

"Please," Velsa said, folding her arms over her chest with a frown, "I just ate."

Walks chuckled as D'usha snorted at the grumpy dunmer, "looks like there's at least one woman you can't woo, D."

D'usha sighed, "yeah. I should have known it was futile. My brother's grumpy too," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Your brother? I didn't know you had a brother," Zeira said with an interested eyebrow raise.

D'usha shrugged, hopping up to sit on the table, knocking a couple of books to the sandy ground, "I have eleven siblings, actually," he said, chuckling at the stunned expression, "my mother adopted all of us when we were young. Gave us better lives. You guys probably wouldn't like most of them."

"Wow. Your family get-togethers must be wild," Quen said, giving him a smile.

He chuckled, "you could say that," he said, rubbing the back of his neck as he turned back to Zeira, "so, the wedding. What's the plan?"

"Silver-Claw said he'd help with invitations. Meeting him at his shop, down by the harbor," Zeira said, getting a nod from D'usha before he cleared his throat.

"Ooooor, here's an idea. I have connections," he said, getting a raised eyebrow from Velsa.

" _YOU_ have connections?" the dunmer scoffed, "don't make me laugh."

D'usha rolled his eyes, sliding off the desk as he pulled a cell phone from his satchel, "give me ten minutes. She can get pretty chatty," he said, wandering off toward the bookshelves against the far wall as he dialed and held the phone to his head. He waited for a few moments, giving the group a thumbs up before a woman answered. 

"Hello?"

"Hey, mom," D'usha said, keeping his voice low as he rubbing the back of his neck.

"D'usha!?! I haven't heard from you in months and you call me up with just a 'hey'? What the fuck do you have to say for yourself, young man?!?"

D'usha sigh, "I'm sorry and I love you," he said, sounding annoyed.

She snorted, "I love you too, you little bastard," she growled, making him smile. She let out a sigh, "so, what're you calling for? That's the only time any of you call... except Ma'rahka, Ram'ku, Minna, and Maisha."

"I need a couple of invitations to a wedding being held here in Abah's Landing," he said, feeling nervous when the line went silent for a moment. He cleared his throat, "m-mama?"

"Magnifica Faloria's wedding, right?"

He blinked in surprise before smiling, "nothing gets past you, does it ma?"

"Not even when you try to bribe your bodyguard," she said, chuckling as he sighed.

"You knew about that, huh?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Of course I knew about that and your exploits," she said, going quiet for a moment, "I'll meet you and whoever else you're bringing there. I'll get you guys in. Oh and D'usha, don't let the Thieves Guild there send you into too much danger. You can get in enough on your own."

D'usha laughed nervously before realizing what she had said, "wait... how do you know I'm working with the Thieves Guild?" The only answer he got was silence. "He-hello? Mother?" he frowned at the screen before sighing and sliding it back into his satchel. He walked back to the group, giving them a smile, "good news. I can get us in."

"How?" Quen asked, looking at him with confused eyes. 

D'usha shrugged, "let's just say I have an intimate relationship with someone very high up."

The group sighed or rolled their eyes as Zeira pinched the bridge of her nose, "if this comes back to bite us, D'usha, I'm going to make you clean the entire cistern."

D'usha grinned, "deal."

* * *

D'usha scowled at his reflection as Percius brushed his shoulders with a thick brush, "I hate having to dress up like a prince," he grumbled, getting a chuckle from the tailor.

"You are a lot of things, D'usha my friend, but a prince is not one of them," Percius said, stepping back to look at D'usha, "mmm-hmm. You look noble enough. I would have never thought that you would be able to pull this outfit off, but you do."

D'usha rolled his eyes, "thanks for the compliment, Percy," he muttered, getting a frown from the tailor.

"I told you not to call me Percy," Percius said, giving a rough tug on D'usha's belt, making him grunt.

"God, not so tight," D'usha growled, glaring at the man.

Percius rolled his eyes, "beauty is pain," he said, standing and stepping back with a sigh, "it'll have to do. Walks-Softly said he would meet you at the gates."

D'usha nodded, running his hands over the top of his head as he hurried to the palace where the ceremony was being held. He gave Walks-Softly a smile as he joined the other argonian, "what's up Walks?" he said, giving the lizard man an annoyed glare when he shook D'usha's fist bump. 

"That's such a brutish greeting," Walks muttered, glancing over D'usha with a smirk, "you look almost as good as I do."

D'usha scoffed, "just wait until you meet our way in."

"D'usha," a short woman with reddish blonde hair called out from behind them, bringing their attention around as D'usha smiled at her.

"Hi mom," he said, giving the short woman a hug.

"How've you been?" she asked, stepping back to look him over, "you haven't been eating enough. I'll make something as soon as we get back to the inn."

D'usha gave her an embarrassed smile, "mother..."

Walks cleared his throat, reminding D'usha that he was standing there. 

"Oh, mother, I'd like you to meet Walks-Softly. My associate," he said, motioning to Walks. 

"A pleasure Miss..."

"Melissa Dovahkiir, High Queen of Skyrim and Dragonborn," she said, getting stunned, wide eyes from the argonian as he looked at D'usha with a shocked expression.

"You... You're a... Prince?" Walks asked, his voice getting loud for a moment.

"Shhh!" D'usha hissed, glancing around, "keep this to yourself, would ya? I have a reputation."

"Yes. We heard about your reputation from some of the girls at the tavern," a low, smooth voice said from behind them.

D'usha groaned as he turned to the high elf, standing on the stairs with a gown of emerald, "did you have to come? Mother, couldn't you have left her at home?"

The high elf snorted, "that's some hello and how do you do to your sister, you horse's ass," the high elf growled, getting a glare from the man.

"Your sister is a high elf?" Walks asked, looking up at the woman.

"Yeah. She's one of the eleven," D'usha said, getting another shocked look from Walks.

Melissa chuckled, "I still love that look," she said, lacing her arm through D'usha's, "escort me, will ya son?"

D'usha nodded, "yes ma'am."

"I have already informed the guard of our entry and our guests," the high elf said, lacing her arm through Walks-softly's arm, "just go along with it or they won't believe it."

Walks gave a nod, putting his hand over her hand on his arm, giving her a charming smile, "my pleasure."

The altmer blinked in surprise, pink dusting her cheeks as they walked up the stairs toward the guard at the front gate. She cleared her throat as they approached, "High Queen Melissa Dovahkiir and Princess Shalina Dovahkiir and guests," she said, handing two invitations to the man at the front gate.

"My my. The Queen of Skyrim and the Princess. I never expected to meet you in person, your highness," the man said, giving Melissa a low bow.

She waved it away, "it's a pleasure to be here. I'm hoping that this will benefit everyone," she said, sounding regal and high born.

D'usha kept his expression pleasant as the man looked over the invitations.

"Yes... Everything in order as expected," he said, handing the invitations back, "refreshments shall be served until the wedding begins. Please, enjoy yourselves your majesties." He gave them a low bow, ushering them through the gates. 

"Thank ya kindly," Melissa said, her accent shining through as they walked through the gates.

D'usha glanced over his shoulder as the gates closed and locked behind them before letting out a sigh of relief as Melissa dropped her arm, "thanks, mom."

Melissa nodded, "no problem," she said, turning to look at him with narrowed eyes, "so, what's the Thieves Guild want with being at a wedding? Her dowry's been returned so unless you're going to steal it..."

"You are a very observant woman," Walks said, giving Melissa a smile, "but I heard rumors of your expansive knowledge so I shouldn't be surprised."

Melissa nodded, "I'm aware of the rumors and only most of them are true. Maybe when you're done with your job we can sit and talk about what's true and what's not, but for now," she turned back to D'usha, "what's your plan or are you just going off half-cocked again?"

"First we need to make sure Zeira can get in," Walks said, glancing at the redguard standing at the gates.

Shalina sighed, brushing some of her hair away from her face, "I'll deal with him," she said, snagging an empty bottle that was sitting on a ledge as she walked toward him, stumbling slightly, "heeeeeey yoooooooooou," she slurred, falling forward to wrap her arms around his neck, "you thought you could get away you taunting, flirty, sneaky summumma bish."

The redguard grunted at her weight, furrowing his brows in both confusion and agitation as he held her up, "I don't know what you're talking about, lady. Get off of me and get lost," he growled, trying to push her away.

"Oh you," she giggled, playfully slapping his chest, "playing hard to get, huh? Well, I'm not letting you get away again you big, strong hunka man you." He jerked him forward, pressing her lips against his and stunning him. When the kiss broke, she giggled, taking his hand and leading him away from the gate, a goofy grin spreading across the man's lips as he shuffled after her. 

Melissa sighed, rubbing her forehead, "and none of my kids have shame. That's great. I'm a terrible mother."

"I'm sure you're not. Some just need to grow up," Walks said, giving D'usha a glare. D'usha stuck his tongue out at his friend as Walks motioned to him, "my case and point."

Melissa chuckled, "he's always been like that since he was a kid."

"That's a bit concerning," Zeira said as she walked down the stairs to meet them. 

Melissa gave the woman a raised eyebrow as she looked her over, "another of your conquests, son?"

D'usha rolled his eyes, "I wish..." his eyes went wide for a second as his mother gave him a glare, "I mean, no. Mother, this is Zeira, the master of the thieves guild. Zeira, my mother, Melissa Dovahkiir."

Zeira narrowed her eyes at Melissa before they went wide, "wait... _QUEEN_ Melissa Dovahkiir? Your mother is the Queen of Skyrim?"

D'usha cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck, "yeeeeeeaaaaahhhhh."

Melissa rolled her eyes, "just ignore my title, my kids do," she said, putting her hand out, "it's nice to meet you. Don't think that you can use my influence all the time. This is a one-time thing. I don't need the Abah's Landing Thieves guild forcing me into situations like the Riften one did."

Zeira shook her head with a chuckle, "don't worry. We'll only force D'usha into doing things he doesn't want to."

"Oh, and I'm sure that's so hard to do," Melissa said sarcastically, getting a laugh from Zeira and Walks. 

"I like your mother," Walks said, getting a sigh from D'usha.

"You like her now, but wait until she gets pissed."

"So, like I was asking my boy, what's your plan?" Melissa asked, getting a surprised blink from Zeira, "what? You think I'm going to get y'all in without helping with the rest of your plan? I wasn't always a Queen, you know. I do like to do other things that aren't signing treaties and replying to letters."

"well..."

* * *

They stood amongst the crowd, Misty lingering in with the other nobles of Abah's Landing as D'usha, Walks-Softly, and Zeira waited impatiently for Cosh's great address to the guests. A man wearing fine clothing steps out from the building drawing the attention of the crowd. Zeira gasped, her hand going to her mouth hidden under the veil. 

"No... It can't be..." she whispered as the man spoke.

"Welcome to my home. I must thank you all for joining me on this momentous occasion. Please, eat and drink your fill! Soon, I shall speak to you not as a humble merchant, but as a noble of Taneth!"

Zeira scowled, shaking her head as she moved back in the crowd, "I can't believe this," she hissed, making her way toward a quiet corner with D'usha and Walks following.

"What's wrong, Z?" D'usha asked, frowning at her distress.

"He... Nicolas _IS_ Cosh!" she exclaimed, quickly lowering her voice, "Damn it! I should have put it together. Nicolas played us! He played everyone! There was never any 'Cosh' to begin with."

Misty made her way to the small group with Shalina behind her, giving the nobles she passed a pleasant smile before a frown covered her lips, "what's going on?"

"Apparently, the old guild leader is Cosh," D'usha explained, folding his arms over his chest as he glanced off toward the stairs where "Cosh" had disappeared to. 

Misty sighed, "of course he is. That's how these things always play out," she said, looking at Zeira, "what's the plan, or are you going to let a little surprise stop you?"

Zeira took a deep breath, giving a nod, "we need to stop the wedding. Actually, we need Falorah to do so. I think this can still work."

Misty nodded, "if there's anything Dovahkiir are good at, it's stopping a celebration," she said, slapping D'usha on the back, "right, D?"

D'usha gave an embarrassed smile, rubbing the back of his neck before sighing, "yeah... but Alesan and Solitar are better at that."

"We want to try being quiet about this so Nicolas doesn't catch wind of it," Zeira said, getting a nod from Walks.

"I agree. If we cause too much of a stir, we will blow our cover and not be able to stop this," Walks said, narrowing his eyes at a noble across the courtyard. 

Misty sighed, "yeah yeah," she muttered, rolling her shoulders, "I hate taking things slow."

"Don't worry about it, Mom," D'usha said, giving her a smile, "you helped out as far as you can. The Thieves guild can handle it from here."

Misty snorted, folding her arms over her chest as she gave him a glare, "you really think I'm going to let y'all have all that fun without me? I don't think so."

"Anything to stay away from the paperwork huh?" D'usha asked with a chuckle.

"Damn straight! Now, let's go get Feloria to stop that wedding," Misty said, starting into the crowd.

"Oh mother," Shalina sighed, giving D'usha a glare, "you just haaaaaad to invite her out. Couldn't do something by yourself."

D'usha rolled his eyes, "you and I both know that if I _didn't_ ask her to help, she'd be more pissed," he said, watching his mother work her way through the crowd to a servant, "at least she's having fun. You know mom misses adventuring."

Shalina sighed again, "yeah I know," she smiled, putting her hand on his shoulder, "thanks for this though, Zeymah. She was starting to get stir crazy."

D'usha smiled, "no problem, Briinah." 

Misty came back, looking a little pleased with herself, "how good are you at being a thief, son?"

D'usha shrugged, "good enough that they keep sending me out to steal stuff. Why?"

Misty sighed, "that don't mean shit when dealing with any guild, D," she said, nodding toward the servant girl sweeping across the water feature, "she said that if we get her a bottle of Summerset Hills 572."

"Do you know where to get that?" Walks asked, folding his arms over his chest, "I'm sure we could probably lift a key from one of the servants. That would be quicker."

"Whatever you want to do. It's up to you, D since most of this is on you anyway."

D'usha nodded, "I'll lift a key from a servant."

"If you get caught, I don't know you," Misty said, turning back toward the crowd, "let's go mingle and pretend we like being here, Shay."

Shalina nodded, "alright, mother." Shalina patted D'usha on the shoulder, "good luck, little brother."

D'usha rolled his eyes, waving her away, "yeah, yeah. Get the hell outta here with that shit."

Shalina shook her head, hurrying to catch up to their mother before she disappeared into the crowd.

"Well, your mother seems..." Walks started, trailing off when he couldn't think of the best way to describe her.

"Unrefined and normal compared to the other nobles? Yeah, that's my mom," D'usha chuckled, "she wasn't born a noble. She actually worked her way up with the help of my uncles and the people that she helped in Skyrim. My mother is literally a queen of the people."

"I heard that she wasn't a typical Queen but, I can honestly say, I wasn't expecting that," Walks admitted, smiling, "I like her."

D'usha nodded, "most people do. For the record, she's already going steady with someone so... yeah. Stay away from her or he'll stomp your scaley, high society ass into the dirt."

Walks rolled his eyes, "I wasn't asking about your mother, but your sister..."

D'usha rolled his eyes, "if you can get her out of the castle, then by all means," he said, looking around at the servants, spotting one that started around a corner. "If you'll excuse me, I have a key to pilfer." D'usha headed for the servant, standing just around the corner, leaning casually against the wall as he waited for the servant to walk past. He moved up behind the man, casually picking the man's pocket before turning sharply away, making his way toward, the others. He smirked as he showed them the key, twirling it around his finger a few times before nodding toward the doors leading to the kitchens.

"Once we're inside, we're going to be trespassing. The palace is crawling with Iron Wheel, so stay alert," Zeira said, pulling the veil up over her nose and mouth. 

D'usha nodded, turning the key in the door and pushing the door open. 

* * *

They quickly made their way through the palace, hiding in barrels and around corners as the guards patrolled, moving up the stairs and around the balconies to Cosh's bedchamber. They pushed through the door, closing it behind them and surprising Magnifica Falorah. 

She stood from her chair, frowning at the three thieves, "who are you? How did you get in here?" she demanded, folding her arms over her chest. 

They approached the rich woman, at Zeira's back.

"Magnifica Falorah, we came to warn you," Zeira started, getting a scowl from the woman, "Cosh is not the man he seems."

"He's a merchant Lord of Abah's Landing. That's one step above the scum they scrape from ship hulls," Magnifica sneered, "is there any other grand revelation before I call the guards?"

"Come on, Milady. Why not hear us out first and then make your assumption?" Walks said, giving the rich woman a bow. 

"Besides that, my mother would be pissed if I ended up in jail," D'usha said, looking around the room at the random paintings hanging on the walls. 

Magnifica sighed in annoyance, "people say, 'this is not how I imagined my wedding to be.' They tell amusing stories of what went wrong, trying to outdo each other's tales." she snorted, folding her arms over her chest, "' calling the guard on wedding crashers' isn't one I've heard. Why shouldn't it be the story I tell?"

D'usha sighed, rolling his eyes as he stepped toward her, "that sniveling piece of shit is the one that stole your Dowery," he accused, getting a frown from the redguard woman. 

"Why should I believe you?" Magnifica asked.

"What reason do we have to lie to you?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at her, "and if you fucking say that 'we're thieves. That's what we do.' I'll pull some strings that I really don't want to touch."

Magnifica narrowed her eyes at him, tilting her head slightly as she studied him, "I've heard someone speaking like that here at the celebration. The High Queen of Skyrim. What's her name? Dovahkiir, Melissa Dovahkiir."

D'usha smirked, "my mother. Then you know her reputation for having an overly short temper for people that fuck with her children and bullshit noble stupidity, such as what you're displaying right now."

Magnifica smirked at him, "she wouldn't cause an international incident because one of her brood broke into my bedchambers. Especially when said child has a reputation for doing such things."

"My mother knows what I do for a living and, while she disapproves, allows me to be me. That said, she's not above shouting every single noble, including you, into ash," he said, watching her smirk wilt as he grinned, "mother dearest does _hate_ nobles, despite becoming one herself."

Magnifica looked a little more nervous and willing to cooperate, "do you have any proof of this? My escort arrives soon to begin the wedding," she looked almost mournful of the situation she was in herself and sighed, "unless you can produce the skull of Danobia herself..."

Walks had started to wander around the room, looking at the paintings on the walls, studying them with his fingers clutching his chin, "hmm..."

A knock at the door brought everyone's attention to the door, stopping D'usha's heart in his chest as a woman spoke from the other side of the door. 

"Magnifica Felorah, are you ready? The guests are assembling in the house."

"Shit," D'usha hissed, pulling out his phone, "how much of a distraction do we need?"

Zeira raised her eyebrow at him, "how much do you think?"

D'usha nodded, typing a quick message to his mother before sliding the phone back into his satchel, "that should be enough."

After a few moments, the sound of two people talking outside the door became an argument then, something like an explosion happened, causing something to hit the door hard. They were silent for a few moments, watching and waiting until the door opened, the escort that was at the door falling back to the floor, pushing the door. Melissa stepped over the escort, giving the woman a frown.

"Fucking touch me. You Goddamned lucky I didn't put a hole in your fucking teeth," she hissed at the escort, standing straight and fixing her sleeve before looking at them. Zeira, Walks, and Magnifica looked stunned while D'usha frowned.

"Did you have to shout at her?" he asked, moving forward to drag the woman into the room as Melissa closed the door.

"You text me 'S.O.S.' What the Hell did you expect?" she growled, giving him a glare, "do you need help, or not?"

D'usha sighed and shook his head, "you were just supposed to distract her, not knock her out."

Melissa scowled at him, pulling her phone from her satchel and putting it in his face with the text he sent, "S...O... S..."

He gave her an annoyed glare before nodding, "fine. My bad. Thank you, mother."

Melissa snorted, putting her phone back in her satchel, "you're welcome. Now, what's you're plan?"

"Magnifica said that we have to produce the skull of Danobia to prove Cosh is Nicolas," D'usha explained, scratching the back of his head.

Melissa nodded, walking toward Magnifica, "Maggie! How goes things?"

Magnifica frowned at Melissa, "well, considering your _son_ is holding me hostage, I'd say poorly."

Melissa chuckled, "babycakes, nobody's holding you hostage and even Ulfric Stormcloak would have enough brains in his head to listen to someone when they risked their lives to warn him," she said, smirking at the woman's startled expression. 

"Well... I heard rumors of your bluntness but I would have assumed even you would remain diplomatic at an event such as this."

Melissa scoffed, "I didn't even want to come to this pathetic excuse for a celebration. Fine wine. Fine dining. Fine clothing. Everything is so fine you forgot to invite fine guests. You should hear the shit your 'friends' are talking when you're not around."

Magnifica scowled at Melissa, looking furious, "well, if I knew how much of a barbarian you are, I wouldn't have had the invitation sent out at all."

Melissa's face became stern and hard as she glared at Magnifica. Fire flickered around her lips before she spoke, "I'm probably one of the few if not the only friend you have, Magnifica, and you damned sure don't want me as a mother fucking enemy because I have no problem burning this place to the ground with you and all your guests inside." 

"You dare threaten me?" Magnifica shrieked.

"Uh oh," D'usha muttered, stepped between his mother and Magnifica to stop her from moving forward, "mother." His voice was stern, "we need her _ALIVE_."

Melissa huffed angrily, pacing back and forth a couple of steps before turning and shouting, "FUS RO DAH!" sending all the furniture flying against the wall, shattering the more flimsy wooden chairs. She turned back to Magnifica, glaring a hole in the woman, "I dare threaten anyone and everyone that's a pain in the ass and there ain't a Goddamned thing you or anyone can fucking do about it."

Magnifica looked shaken, trying and failing to keep her eyes locked with Melissa's emerald glare. 

"Mama," D'usha said gently, bringing her eyes up to him, "please..."

Melissa stared at him for a few moments, taking a deep calming breath before nodding, "fine. I'll rein in."

"Thank you," he said, feeling a little better as she went to one of the upturned benches, flipping it upright and taking a seat on it, still glaring at Magnifica as the thieves searched the room.

"One thing I know about Nicolas is that he would _never_ allow himself to be cornered," Walks said, searching the edges of the bookshelves for openings or slots, "there must be an opening here somewhere."

Zeira nodded, "I agree. Spread out and search the room."

Melissa grew tired of glaring at the annoying crown and decided to try occupying herself with a book. She picked up one that was sitting on the floor, having fallen off one of the tables she shouted across the room. She sighed, crossing her legs as she opened the book, scanning over the pages for a moment before realizing it was a poetry book that looked handwritten. She furrowed her brows at the last page, looking up at the room. She blinked at the paintings on the walls, looking down at the book in her lap then back up at the paintings. She cleared her throat, snapping the book shut as she watched the thieves look around the room. 

"I can't find anything," D'usha complained from the corner he was checking.

Melissa cleared her throat again, this time a little louder.

"Me either," Walks muttered.

"It doesn't make sense. Nicolas would have an exit from this room," Zeira sighed, rubbing her face, both tired and frustrated.

Melissa huffed, getting to her feet and walking to one of the sconces beside the water scene. She reached up, having to stand on her tip-toes to reach, and turned the sconce to the side. She glanced at the thieves, "AHEM!!"

The three of them looked at her as she held up the book and pointed at the sconces, "the book has the code to open a secret doorway leading to an exit using the paintings and sconces on the walls," she said, handing the book off to walks as he read the poem and started for the next sconce.

"I should have known that," D'usha grumbled, "it's always the most obvious thing in the most obvious place."

"Maybe, but my shouting messed up the area it was laying so, you wouldn't have known," she said, giving him a warm, motherly smile as he pouted to himself. 

One of the cabinets clicked loudly, bringing their attention to it as Walks snapped the book shut, seeming pleased with himself. 

"Well, I better stay back and make sure y'all get a head start," Melissa said, giving D'usha a pat on the arm and a smile, "be careful, baby."

He hugged her, "I will." He reluctantly pulled away from his mother, following Zeira and Walks into the cabinet. 

"Well, well. A portion of the dowery Nicolas decided not to return, and this must be Danobia's crown," she said, gently picking it up from the desk with a smirk, "Nicolas, you've doomed yourself."

"Great. We've got the crown. Let's return it and prove to Magnifica that he's a fraud," D'usha said, ready for this night to be over. Being a thief had its perks but it was times like this that was tiring. He was suddenly wishing that he had stayed back at the guild. 

"I'll show these to Magnifica along with her ancestor's skull. Once I have her attention, she'll listen," Zeira said, a dark, deviant glint in her eyes.

Walks and D'usha exchanged a glance before Walks frowned at her, "what are you planning, Zeira?"

Zeira shrugged, "nothing that I'll need either of you for," she said, turning to the two with the crown in her hand at her side, "I want you to mingle with the crowd. Once Nicolas is revealed as a fraud, leave. I'll see you two at the den soon enough," she looked at D'usha, "you're in charge until I return."

D'usha frowned at her, "you're not coming with us, are you?"

Zeira just smiled at him, waving the two away, "go. I'll be along soon."

D'usha shook his head as they started for the stairs leading down, "I hope you know what you're doing, Zeira."

"So do I."

* * *

They stood in the crowd that gathered in the palace hall, waiting as "Cosh" and a member of the Iron Wheel stood over the crowd.

"I don't see Zeira," Walks said, sounding nervous and worried.

D'usha patted him on the back, "don't worry. She's a big girl. She knows what she's doing... I hope."

"Today," the guard's voice echoed through-out the room, "Lord Cosh of Abah's Landing, joins with Magnifica Felorah the jewel of Taneth. It is my honor, as a duly appointed officer of the Iron Wheel, to officiate their union."

Zeira bolted from the side, heading straight for the officer and "Cosh", "Stop! There is no honor in this union!"

Walks grabbed D'usha's hand, startled at Zeira's sudden appearance.

"What is the meaning of this!?!" The officer snarled, drawing his sword. 

"Zeira," Cosh gasped, surprised by her appearance, "you're alive? I... that is..." He shook himself out of his surprise, "what is the meaning of this?!?"

Magnifica walked up beside Zeira, glaring at Cosh, "more importantly, why do you have the desecrated remains of my ancestor?"

Cosh looked startled as Zeira held the skull up for all to see, "there must be some mistake..."

D'usha glanced back at the doors, noting the Iron Wheel soldiers starting into the room. He gave Walk's hand a tug, getting the other thief's attention before nodding toward the doors, "we have to go before we're caught," he said in a hushed tone, leading Walks deeper into the crowd. 

Cosh started to beg for Magnifica's forgiveness as the officiant told the Iron Wheel to start questioning everyone. Of course, this sent the nobles there into a panic as they ran for the door with Walks and D'usha among them. They carefully made their way through the estate, trying not to get spotted by the guards, all the while, Walks held D'usha's hand, as if afraid that if he let go, they would both disappear into a cell with Zeira. 

"We just... left her there," Walks whimpered.

D'usha sighed, pulling the other argonian after him as they ducked behind a bookshelf, "listen, Walks. I know you're going to blame yourself for this but it's not your fault, alright. We'll just have to figure out a way to get her out of there."

Walks sniffled, wiping the tear from his scaley cheek and nodded, "okay..."

D'usha nodded back, feeling a sense of Deja Vu from when he was younger and with his siblings. They weaved through the estate, coming out free and clear as they pushed through the gates. 

They walked back to the guild in silence, unsure of what they would tell the others. Walks' eyes were on the ground the whole way, still holding onto D'usha's hand like a lost child. The usual greeting that Weylamund gave D'usha turned to silence as he looked at the two argonians.

"What happened?"

Walks sniffled and shook his head, finally releasing D'usha's hand and heading up to the area where the guild members met to plan. 

D'usha sighed, scratching both sides of his horns, "Zeira got captured."

"Oh, man..." Waylamud sighed, leaning heavily on the counter as he shook his head, "what's the plan?"

D'usha shook his head, "I don't know... I... I think I need some advice."

Waylamud nodded, "sounds like a plan."

D'usha nodded, pulling his phone from his satchel and starting for a more quiet, secluded area of the guild before dialing. He listened to the phone ring a couple of times before it was picked up. 

"D'usha! How've you been?" the man on the other end answered, sounding as happy to hear from him as he always did. 

"Hey Dad," he started, trying and failing to sound happy.

"D'usha? What's wrong?" his dad said, sounding instantly concerned.

D'usha clenched his teeth, fighting back the tears, "I fucked up, dad."

"Tell me what happened and I'll talk you through it."

D'usha regaled him with everything from the clothes being too tight and itchy to the nobles to finding the skull and crown in Nicolas's secret room and ended with a sobbing, "and I don't know what to do."

The man was quiet for a few moments, seeming to think about it for a moment before answering, "first thing's first, bud. I need you to take a deep calming breath, okay?"

D'usha nodded, even knowing that he couldn't see him, and took several deep breaths to calm himself.

"There, now, I want you to gather your fellow guild members and come up with a plan to get Zeira back. The guild can't stand without a leader and I know you don't want to lead. If you need any more advice, call me and I'll help you guys out."

D'usha took another deep breath and nodded, "okay. Thanks, dad."

"Don't mention it. I love you, D. Take care of yourself."

"Love you too."

They hung up and D'usha felt a thousand times better after the talk. He always felt a thousand times better after talking with his dad and was more than ready to start putting a plan together by the time he reached the table where Zeira did all her planning.

"Let's do this."


	3. Love In Abah's Landing; Maisha (ft. D'usha and Julios)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maisha meets her future husband.  
> Obviously, I didn't go off of any playthrough this time, it's just my imagination working. ^_^ enjoy.

She was always nervous about playing in a tavern, being one of the few khajiit bards in Tamriel that could actually sing and play, she was met with skepticism. She scanned the crowd of The Serpent and the Senche, looking for D'usha. _He promised to be here for support,_ she thought, taking her place in the corner of the tavern before strumming a few notes to make sure her lute was tuned before inhaling and clearing her throat. She started strumming humming a few bars before opening her mouth to sing [Dancing Among The Flowers Fine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftE7VXEwGNg). 

* * *

D'usha pushed through the doors, laughing at his friend, Julios as the other argonian wiped the mud from his snout, "I told you to watch your step, J," D'usha said with a chuckle, taking a seat at one of the tables near the back.

Julios rolled his eyes, "yeah, yeah. Laugh it up, clown." 

D'usha smirked, leaning his chair back on two legs as a waitress came to their table, "what's cookin', good lookin'?"

The woman rolled her eyes, giving him an annoyed glare, "do you ever just _talk_ to a girl instead of flirting with her?"

D'usha grinned at her, "you love it and you know it," he said, sitting the chair upright, "seriously though. Has my sister shown up yet? I told her I'd meet her here..." he paused when he heard singing, leaning around the woman to scan the tavern before smiling at the khajiit woman standing in one of the corners singing, "nevermind. There she is."

Julios gave him a raised eyebrow, looking in the direction D'usha was before his eyes widened at the khajiit woman. His mouth fell open as he watched and listened to her, leaning on the table with his chin in his hand, "who. Is. That?"

D'usha shrugged, leaning back in his chair again, "my sister, Maisha. She asked me to come to her first showing in Abah's Landing since I'm here anyway. You know. Be supportive and shit."

Julios was barely listening, as he watched Maisha strum the lute and sing, almost completely enthralled by her. "She's so... beautiful."

D'usha barked out a laugh, "yeah right." His laugh slowly died as he watched his friend, sitting up as he cleared his throat and leaned on the table, "you've got a little uh... drool there, Jul."

Julios sat up, embarrassed as he wiped his mouth, "sorry I was just... distracted," he mumbled, giving D'usha a frown, "you never told me your sister was khajiit."

D'usha shrugged, "you never asked," he said, giving the waitress a smile and nod as she set their drinks down in front of them. 

Julios snorted, "you're an ass."

D'usha chuckled, raising his drink toward his friend, "you're surprised?"

Julios rolled his eyes, "no, I guess not. Just wish you would be serious about a few things in your life," he muttered, taking a drink from the bottle as he watched Maisha play.

"I'm serious about my family when they're in danger but, that's about it," D'usha admitted, watching a group of khajiits sitting to the side of the room, eyeing Maisha and whispering to one another, "looks like trouble."

Julios glanced where D'usha nodded, frowning at the group of cats before two stood from the table, moving to stand on either side of Maisha. Far enough away to not draw attention, but close enough to grab her. Julios started to stand, only to be pulled back down into his seat by D'usha.

"Easy, Jule. Maisha isn't just a bard. Mom made sure we were all trained well enough to defend ourselves in situations like this. If she needs help she'll say as much," D'usha said, even as he kept an eye on the table with the other three khajiits sitting there. 

Julios reluctantly sat back down, sitting on the edge of his seat, poised and ready to jump in. 

Maisha finished her song, getting several semi-enthusiastic claps from the tavern goers. She smiled, her eyes scanning the crowd for D'usha until they spotted him sitting with another Argonian at a table near the entrance. She waved from the stage, getting a casual wave back from her brother, before stepping off the stage and starting to make her way toward him. She frowned at the large khajiit that stood in front of her, blocking her path and line of sight. "Excuse me, please," she said shuffling have a step to the side.

"You're really quite a beautiful singer, this one enjoyed your music and would like to also enjoy your company," he said, giving her the cat's form of a charming smile.

Maisha smiled pleasantly at him, trying her best to maintain her composure, "I appreciate the offer but I already have a prior engagement with my brother. I'm sorry maybe another time.

He frowned at her as she tried stepping around him, reaching out to take hold of her arm, "Ji'ato thanks you do not understand him. This one insists."

D'usha shifted in his seat, ready to step in as he narrowed his eyes.

"Still think we shouldn't step in?" Julios asked looking at his friend for confirmation.

Maisha found it the man's hand on her arm. She looked up at him with Fierce blue eyes, her entire demeanor taking on a defensive posture, "I'm only going to ask you once politely to let go of me," her voice was sweet but thick with warning.

"Or what?"

She gave a small nod, taking hold of his thumb and jerking to the side, causing the other khajiit you to cry out in pain and collapsed to the ground. The others that were sitting at the table stood, ready to jump to their friend's defense. D'usha stood and was at their table almost as quickly as Julios could blink, startling his friend. 

"Problems, gentlemen?" D'usha asked, his voice a little louder than was probably needed.

The three khajiit looked at him with surprised expressions.

"No. We were just..."

D'usha cut him off, "sitting your dumb asses down and leaving my little sister alone? Sounds like a good idea."

The khajiits glanced at one another before laughing, "you're not her brother. You're an argonian."

D'usha rolled his eyes before reaching out, taking hold of the closest khajiit's head, slamming it down into the tabletop. The other khajiit drew their weapons, ready to attack him as their friend collapsed to the floor, knocked unconscious from D'usha's attack. Julios lept forward with his sword, intercepting one of the khajiit's attack and giving him a hard kick to the sternum that sent him stumbling back into another table. 

"Couldn't help yourself, could you?" Julios asked, frowning at D'usha as he spun, knocking the other khajiit away with his tail. 

D'usha chuckled, drawing his dagger, "four against one isn't fair."

The khajiit got to their feet, snarling and growling at the two argonians, baring their teeth.

"If you're going to fight, leave!" the bartender growled, stepping between the two groups and pointing to the doors.

D'usha glared at the three khajiit, as the khajiits hissed at the redguard. 

"They started this," one of the khajiit snarled, sneering at the lizards. 

"You fuck with one Dovahkiir, you fuck with them all," D'usha growled, flipping his blade around in his hand, "you wanna dance, we'll dance."

"No!" Maisha hurried over to D'usha, pushing him back a step with her hand against his chest as she gave him a frown, "I've got this."

D'usha snorted, looking over her head at the three khajiit, their friend that had been harassing his sister finally joining them while holding his injured arm. 

Maisha turned to the redguard, giving him an apologetic smile, "I'm so sorry for this, Abadarun. I promise it won't happen again."

"You're damned right it won't because you're all banned. Now get out before I call the guard," the redguard snarled, heading back toward the bar. 

The khajiit glared at D'usha and Julios on the way out, leaving them in the tavern. 

"We're going to get jumped when we leave," Julios said with a sigh, frowning at D'usha, "couldn't help yourself, could you?"

D'usha snorted, helping Maisha gather her things, "they're lucky."

Maisha snorted, snatching her bag from her brother, "no, you're lucky the only thing Abadarun did was ban you from here."

"You're banned too," he pointed out, dodging a clawed hand aimed at his snout.

"Because. Of. You," Maisha snarled, baring her teeth at him, "I don't know why I even bothered asking you to come to my show. I knew you would do something like this. You always pick fights. You're almost worse than Solitar and Alesan. At least they have the decency to fight outside so they don't get in trouble."

D'usha rolled his eyes, following Maisha out of the tavern with Julios in tow, "sure. That's why they're bandits and not guards. So they don't get in trouble."

Maisha snorted, turning and poking him in the chest, "says the goddamned thief!"

D'usha frowned at her, "I'm good at what I do."

"Which is what? Bedding women or stealing shiny trinkets?" she growled, folding her arms over her chest with a scowl. 

Julios chuckled, "she's got you there."

Maisha's eyes snapped to him as D'usha sucked in air through his teeth. 

"Ooo. You almost got away scot-free," he said, patting Julios on the back, "it was nice knowing you, my friend."

"And you! Who the hell are you to be jumping in with him like that? What kind of idiotic buffoon follows this moron's lead without question? Do yourself a favor and stop being friends with him or it's going to get you in trouble," Maisha hissed at Julios, surprising the argonian with how angry she was at someone she didn't even know. 

He frowned at her, "I'm sorry. I thought that your idiot of a brother could use a little help getting out of the mess he had put himself in."

Maisha snorted, "news flash, scaley. If he needed help, he would holler for it. Since it was only three of them and I assume his fighting skill has increased since we were children, I'm sure he could handle it." She shifted the lute case in her hand and sighed, looking at the two with a still fuming expression before rolling her eyes, "thank you, you idiot."

D'usha smirked, giving her a hug, "you're welcome, Misha."

The two pulled apart as she rolled her eyes again, "next time, please don't start any trouble. There's already not enough places I can perform at without being laughed off stage."

D'usha sighed, pouting at her, "you're no fun."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, smiling at him before looking at Julios, "who are you, anyway?"

"This is Julios. He's a friend of mine and your biggest fan," D'usha said, making kissy noises at the other argonian.

Julios snorted, giving D'usha a playful shove, "knock it off."

D'usha chuckled, motioning to his sister, "Julios, this is my sister, Maisha."

Maisha gave him a nod, "it's nice to meet you. I'm sorry my brother's an idiot and got you in trouble."

Julios chuckled, waving her apology away, "don't worry about it. It's not the first time and it probably won't be the last. Your singing is surprisingly beautiful," he paused, suddenly realizing his wording, "I mean for a khajiit. What I mean is I didn't expect it..." He groaned, wishing he could sink in the ground and disappear, "I'm sorry."

Maisha laughed, "it's fine. I know what you mean. Most people don't believe that I can sing since I'm khajiit, so I don't get the opportunity to do much singing outside of Skyrim."

"Why Skyrim? Why not Elswyr?"

"Our mother's the High Queen there and knows most of the Jarls and people of Skyrim so they give me chances to sing based on her request."

Julios' eyes widened as he looked at D'usha, who was suddenly interested in the stonework of the Inn, "you never mentioned that your mother's the Queen of Skyrim."

D'usha glanced at him before shrugging, "you never asked," he said, ignoring Maisha's nod.

"Most of us Dovahkiir try to keep our mother's name out of things because people tend to treat you differently when they know you have high connections like that," Maisha said with a sigh, "I'd rather build up my own reputation than piggyback of my mother's."

D'usha nodded his agreement, "which is why I didn't tell the thieves guild about mother until recently."

"Magnifica Felorah's wedding scandal, right?" Maisha asked, getting a nod from her brother, "I heard about that when I arrived. Are you okay?"

D'usha sighed and shook his head, "not really, but we're working out a plan to break our guild master out of the prison."

"Just don't get caught," Maisha said, furrowing her brows at her brother in worry.

He chuckled, "no worries, Misha. Like I said," he smirked at her, "I'm good at what I do." He glanced toward the rest of the city, narrowing his eyes at a lantern that had been lit on the top of one of the buildings, "well, that's my cue." He turned back to the two and gave Maisha a hug, "it was good to see you again, Maisha. We'll have to hang out while you're still here." 

"Wait, you're leaving already?" Maisha asked, her eyes big and sad.

"Don't worry, we'll hang out when I'm done. For now, Julios can take you to my hideout, right J?" D'usha asked, slapping the other man on the shoulder with a grin.

Julios gave him a shocked look, "but..."

"Great!" he exclaimed, walking toward an ally, "I'll catch y'all later and if you decide to do anything, please leave a sock on the doorknob or something. The last thing I wanna do is walk in on my friend fucking my sister."

"D'usha!" Maisha yelped, heat rising to her face as he disappeared around the corner, leaving the two alone. 

Julios groaned, rubbing at his eyes, "your brother is..."

"An ass," Maisha finished for him, looking at the argonian before taking a deep breath, "well... I guess you should take me to his... hideout."

Julios nodded, "right. Right. Yeah, that's what I should do," he muttered, shuffling his feet a little before inhaling and holding his arm out, "shall we then?"

Maisha looked at him with surprise before smiling and lacing her arm through his, "sure."

He placed his hand over hers, resting on his forearm, and led the way through the city, the two casually strolling through the fire lit streets, enjoying the night and one another's company.

* * *

They walked up a ramp and across some of the rooftops, heading toward a basic looking door that was set in a wall. There was nothing special about the door and she would have missed it if Julios hadn't have stopped in front of it, tapping on the door a couple of times before a small Jackle shuffled out from behind a plant, dropping a key at their feet before scurrying away to a hole in the wall. She furrowed her brows at the little animal as Julios picked up the key and opened the door, motioning her in with a slight bow. Maisha stepped in, surprised at how well decorated it was, recognizing some of the pieces as something that their sister, Sher'tul had made. She smiled, running her hand over the carved back of one of the wooden chairs sitting at the desk at the front of the living area. Curtains fell from the ceiling around a lifted area of the large room where a bed of ornate looking pillows lay on a round bed with red bedding. A sitting area overlooked the city with a bottle of spiced wine and cups sitting on the small side table between the lounge chairs. Another larger desk sat off to the right of the room, across from the sleeping area with Chinese style dividers sectioning it off from the rest of the room. Admittedly, she was surprised at how beautiful and organized the apartment was considering how disorganized and single-minded her brother seemed to be at the best of times. 

"Well, I better get going," Julios said, rubbing the back of his neck anxiously. 

Maisha blinked, looking back at him and giving him a smile, "if you want to stick around for a little while, I can make something for dinner. Have you eaten yet?"

Julios stared at her for a few moments before smiling, "sure. I could eat."

Maisha smiled, setting her lute down and heading for the small kitchen area that was next to the office. "I hope he has enough food to make a decent meal." She smiled at the fully stocked cabinets, "well, I guess he knew I was coming."

Julios stood in the doorway, watching the khajiit woman move around the sectioned-off kitchen, expertly putting together a meal from the local food. She motioned him toward the table and chairs sitting against the wall and he complied, waiting patiently for the delicious-smelling meal. She scooped some of the soup into bowls, setting one in front of the argonian along with some bread. "Thank you, Maisha."

Maisha smiled, taking a seat across from him with her soup, "thank you, for staying. Honestly, I was a little scared of those men," she said, pushing some carrot around in the bowl before looking up at Julios and giving him a smile, "I'm glad that you and D'usha were there."

Julios swallowed his mouthful, his heart beating in his chest as she slowly blinked at him with the most beautiful smile he could imagine. He finally blinked back into himself and smiled back, "no problem. I'm glad we were there too."

Maisha looked down at her bowl, feeling flush as he kept staring at her with an almost dream-like expression. "You keep staring like that and I'll start thinking you like me."

"I do," he said without thinking, his eyes going wide at the confession as she gave him a shocked expression, "I mean... um..."

Maisha giggled, "I like you too."

They stared at one another for a few moments before Julios gave her a crooked smile, "cool."

She giggled again and the two ate their meal, the air a little less tense now that the love confessions were out of the way. 


	4. Alliance War (Ebonheart Pact); Ram'ku

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ram'ku in the Alliance Wars. 
> 
> Special shout out thanks to my friend Artemis for letting me use his character Artemis Sotstrun. Be sure to check out his Twitch, Instagram, and Twitter. 
> 
> (streams saturday and sunday 8:30pm eastern American time)  
> twitch.tv/art3mis_white/  
> Instagram: @art3mis_white  
> Twitter: @ArtemisWhite20

They crouched outside of the fort, watching the trebuchets breaking down the walls, drawing the attention of the soldiers and the generals of the Daggerfall Covenant. He glanced at his partner and friend, Artemis Sotstrun, a Nord who had broken away from the Thieves Guild. He didn't blame her, half wondering if she had left because of his idiot brother, D'usha, but he never cared enough to ask.

"What's the plan, Ram?" she asked, kneeling in the brush next to him.

He glanced back at the other soldiers under his command, looking back toward the fort with a determined expression, "we wait for the trebuchets to break through the walls and rush the collapse."

A few of the soldiers started to protest, only to be silenced by Artemis, "enough! If the captain says we rush it, then we rush it!" she shouted, looking at Ram'ku with annoyed eyes through the eyeholes in the mask, "why don't we just sneak around the back and take most of them out silently?"

Ram'ku rolled his eyes, "normally I wouldn't even suggest running headlong into danger like that, but with how aggressive everyone is in this war, I have to think like my brothers," he said, narrowing his eyes at the battlefield.

"Which ones? D'usha wasn't this aggressive," she pointed out, leaning back on her heels as she adjusted the mask on her face.

"Alesan and Solitar," he muttered absently, waiting and watching for the signal.

A loud explosion sounded from the fort as a wall collapsed, leaving one side of the fort completely open. Ram'ku stood, pointing toward the wall, shouting at the top of his lungs, "GO GO GO GO GO!"

The soldiers poured out of the surrounding foliage, rushing straight for the opening as soldiers from the Daggerfall Covenant ran to meet them. Steel clashed with steel sending battle cries and shouts of pain into the air. Ram'ku met a large Redguard, bracing as the man brought his great sword down. He caught it with his shield, stumbling back a step before pushing himself forward, hitting the redguard in the stomach with his shield as he raised his sword for another attack, knocking him off balance. He thrust his sword through the man's chest, having to kick him off his sword as he raised his shield, protecting himself from another attack. He jerked his sword free, swinging it around and slashing the warrior's stomach, giving him a shield bash to knock him back into another Pact soldier's sword. The soldier gave him a nod, following Ram'ku through the enemy forces and into the fort, cutting down anyone and everyone in the way. They finally reached the tower, fighting their way up the stairs to the top floor where the leader of the Daggerfall Covenant was with his main soldiers, ready for them. Ram'ku sneered at the man, narrowing his eyes at the one-eyed Redguard wearing heavy armor, the scar going across his cheek wrinkling as he grinned at Ram'ku. 

"Well, would you look what the cat dragged in," he laughed, pulling his greatsword from his back, "where's your brother, Ma'rahka? I still have a bone to pick with him for taking my eye."

Ram'ku scoffed, "you really think Mar has time to deal with you? Go fuck yourself, sand skank."

The redguard roared, rushing at Ram'ku with his sword raised high, ready to bring it down on the smaller man's head. Ram'ku, though wearing heavy armor himself, easily dodged the attack, the blade getting embedded in the ground where he once stood. He brought his shield up, blocking one of the soldiers' attacks before being tackled to the ground, narrowly avoiding another attack from the angry redguard. He rolled one way while his rescuer rolled the other, both coming to their feet as the Redguard turned to attack once again. 

"RAM'KU! LOOK OUT!" Artemis shouted, leaping into shadow and coming out with a cross blades attack, scraping against the man's armor. Her eyes went wide as he looked down at her, a malicious grin spreading across his face. She came back to her senses quick enough to leap away as the man swung his sword, clipping her short, black hair. She frowned at the deranged man, glancing at Ram'ku as the argonian bore his teeth at the man. "What in Oblivion did you do to him to make him hate you so much?"

Ram'ku snorted, "in the words of Shaggy and my brothers, wasn't me."

"Then who-" She was cut off by an arrow flying past her head. "Never mind. I'll just beat the answer out of you when we're done with these morons," she growled, running toward the archer with her daggers out at her sides. She jumped at the woman, cutting the bow shaft in half before doing a reverse roundhouse, hitting the woman in the face and knocking her to the ground.

Ram'ku watched the redguard as he sneered at him, his dark eyes wild with anger as they circled one another. 

"What's wrong, lizard? Can't take me out so you sent in a woman to do the job?" the redguard mocked, scowling at Ram'ku's chortle.

"I have more respect for that woman than you'll ever have from my brother," Ram'ku smirked.

The redguard roared, running at Ram'ku, only to snarl at the woman behind him, her blades deep in the holes in his armor. He turned, jerking the daggers from her hands as he turned, his arm hitting her hard in the side, sending her flying out a hole in the side of the tower. 

"ARTEMIS!" Ram'ku shouted, his temper getting the better of him as he rushed forward, bringing his sword up as the redguard turned, the blade sliding under his chin and through his skull. He ground his teeth, watching the redguard's surprised expression slacken before he jerked his blade from the man's head, giving the body a kick. It rocked back, falling to the ground with a heavy _THUD_ as he rushed to the hole in the wall, praying to every God he could think of from Tamriel and his mother's world that Artemis was alright. His heart hammered in his chest as he leaned over the edge, letting loose a relieved breath at the sight of the woman laying on a pile of corpses that the others had stacked there. She looked up at him, giving him a cocky grin before waving. Ram'ku rolled his eyes, waving back as he stood at the edge of the hole, watching the Ebonheart pact soldiers celebrating their victory. 

* * *

He sighed as he flopped back in the tavern chair, his mouth opening wide in a yawn as he stretched, his tongue curling against his teeth.

"You open your mouth any wider and all of Tamriel will be swallowed up," Artemis's sarcasm made him groan as she smirked at him. She took a seat across from him, setting a couple of tankards down on the table as she did. "So, the great, almighty Ram'ku Malyolpeyt, captain of the Ebonheart Pact forces, has finally vanquished the evil redguard menace of the Daggerfall Covenant, what are his plans now?"

Ram'ku rolled his eyes at her announcer voiced query and leaned forward, "the same thing I do every time we win a battle or walk away with our lives. I'm going to finish my meal, finish my drink, write what happened in my journal and go to bed."

Artemis snorted, giving him a frown, "you're no fun."

He chuckled, sitting up and taking the tankard, "not everyone thinks a good time is a round or two between the sheets, Arty. Some of us actually need to rest and recuperate from battle."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "hmm! I think you're calling me a whore."

Ram'ku smirked into his tankard, "if the shoe fits, sweetheart."

Artemis stuck her tongue out at him, opting to take the more childish route against the argonian's dry humor. "Seriously though, Ram. Don't you have any fun?"

Ram'ku shrugged, "depends on what you mean when you say 'fun'."

She glared at him for a few seconds before nodding toward the cleared away floor where a few of the soldiers, most probably drunk, flailed around in some form of dance. "What about dancing?"

"I don't dance," he muttered, avoiding her glare by looking into his tankard.

"D'usha danced," she said, looking down her nose at him.

He gave her an annoyed glare then, "D'usha is an idiot and will do anything to make himself the fool if it'll give him a night in a woman's bed," he pointed out, sitting up straighter in his chair, "I have more dignity than him and I won't make a fool of myself just because a pretty face asked me to."

Artemis smirked at him.

"What?" he asked, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

"You called me pretty," she said, her smirk becoming a grin as he bore his teeth at her.

"I did not," he growled.

"Did too," she sang, watching with amusement as his green scales became an almost brown.

"I did not," he growled, looking more and more like a pouting child and less like a captain of any army. 

She sighed, leaning on her hand with her elbow on the table as she gave him dream-filled eyes, "I never knew argonian's could blush. It's cute."

Ram'ku huffed at the Nord woman, "I'm not cute. Nothing I do is cute. Cute is for puppies and baby sheep, not warriors."

Artemis chuckled, lifting her foot to brush against his inner calf, "I don't mind cute." Her foot slid up to his inner thigh, sending the man shooting to his feet, knocking the chair over. She stifled her laughter as he picked the chair up and shuffled away from her, keeping his eyes on the ground as he muttered under his breath.

"Damned woman," he grumbled, quickly making his way up the stairs to his room, trying not to draw any more attention to himself than the little loss of control had cost him. "I hate girls. Why do they even allow girls in the army with their stupid voices and their stupid... girlness." He huffed, jerking his cuirass over his head and setting it on the floor near the door, "why do women look like that, anyway? What daedra created women to look so..." he stopped himself, shaking his head, "fucking Artemis got in my head... again." Artemis was always teasing him like that, doing everything in her power to fluster him, and normally, it wouldn't have worked, but the battle had drained his energy and with it, his control. He sighed, taking a seat on the bed as he pulled off his gloves, the amulet of Mara, and boots, "bitch." A knock at the door brought his attention up. He stared at it for a few moments thinking, _just go away. Can't a guy get a few moments peace?_ With another sigh, he stood, going to the door and opening it. His eyes widened in surprise for a moment at Artemis standing there before he frowned, "haven't you embarrassed me enough?"

Artemis rolled her eyes, lifting a bowl of stew and loaf of bread in her hands, "you ran off like a baby before you got your food."

He stared at the stew for a moment as he took it, giving her a nod, "thanks... and I wasn't running away like a baby," he grumbled, motioning her into his room.

"Looked like it from where I was sitting," she said, walking into his room. She glanced around, her thief's eyes taking note of the weapons laid out on the tables and the amulet of Mara sitting on his bedside table. She gave the amulet a raised eyebrow, walking to the side of the bed and lifted it from the table. It was still slightly warm from him wearing it and looked to be made of some other metal than most amulets of Mara were made of. "So, do you worship Mara or are you looking for Mrs. Right?"

Ram'ku scoffed, "it was a present from my mother to help keep me safe. Her patron god is Mara," he said, dipping a chunk of bread in the stew's broth, "everyone I grew up around and even some of the citizens said that she was either the embodiment of Mara or Mara's reincarnation, but she's just mom to me."

Artemis tilted her head at this, setting the amulet down and going to the table he was seated at that overlooked the training area, "Gods, even your room's view is boring," she complained, sitting across from him again. He shifted his chair a couple of inches away from the table, making her smirk as she lay her chin on her laced fingers. "What's wrong, Ram? It's like you don't trust me or something."

He narrowed his eyes at her, "after the bullshit you pulled down in the tavern, you're damned lucky I even let you in my room. Fucking Harlot."

Artemis rolled her eyes. It wasn't anything she hadn't heard before and she wasn't about to let it get to her now, it honestly amazed her to see Ram'ku get heated like he was. For as long as she had known her, which was a couple of years at this point, she could count the number of times she'd seen him get angry and that was usually when one of his siblings showed up. His argonian brother, D'usha, seemed to annoy him the most, which she could understand, but she liked D'usha. He was fun in all the good ways (wink wink nudge nudge). "So, you don't talk much about your mother. You ashamed or something?"

"Or something," he muttered, finishing off his stew, "before we left home, my siblings and I decided not to bring our lineage into anything we do. People tend to expect great things or hate you outright for your name alone."

She gave him a raised eyebrow before chuckling, "don't tell me you're a king or something."

"Prince, actually," he said, wiping his mouth with the cloth at his elbow.

She watched his expression, her smile starting to wilt when he didn't laugh or even smile, "uh... you're joking... right? You're not really..."

He gave her a solemn nod, pulling a strange device from his pants and running his finger across it before sliding it across the table to her. She leaned over the strange device, furrowing her brow at the small picture of thirteen people of all races. Her eyes moved to the argonians standing at the right of the throne, recognizing Ram'ku and D'usha almost instantly.

She looked back up at him as he looked out the window at the soldiers sparring, his expression guarded and almost bored, "so... wait... You and D'usha..."

He nodded again, finally looking at her with his own smirk, "I am Prince Ram'ku Dovahkiir, son to High Queen Melissa Dovahkiir and the third prince of Skryim."

Her eyes went wide. She had heard D'usha having conversations on a strange device like this one with someone he claimed to be his mother, but she would have never dreamed it would be the High Queen of Skyrim. She cleared her throat, looking back down at the image before narrowing her eyes, "wait. Everyone in this image is a different race."

"Uh-huh," he hummed absently, taking a drink from his tankard.

"So, that means you're adopted," she pointed out, getting a frown from the man.

"And? Where are you going with this?" he asked, his eyes narrowed now.

She gave a loud laugh, "Ha! You don't have a drop of royal blood in your damned veins!" she said loudly, laughing as the argonian scowled at her.

"She's still my mother and she's still queen and I'm still her son which still makes me a prince!" he growled, leaning forward and snatching the device from the table.

"That doesn't mean a damned thing except that you have connections," she said, giving him a cocky smirk as she leaned back in her chair, folding her arms over her chest as she did. 

He sneered at her, "go fuck yourself, Artemis."

"Awww. Did I hit a nerve?" she asked, making noises at him that you'd make to a baby.

He snorted, pointing at the door, "get the fuck out, damned harpy."

She chuckled as she got to her feet, moving around the table to the fuming argonian and planting a soft peck on his cheek, "don't worry, Ram. I won't tell anyone."

Ram'ku snorted, looking back out the window as his cheek heated up, "just go away. You're more frustrating D'usha."

"You love it and you know it," she chuckled, standing straight and walking toward the door, "if you get lonely tonight, captain, I'm just down the hall, second door on the right," she looked over her shoulder at him with an alluring smirk, "my door and bed are always open to you."

Ram'ku snorted, "I like my whores with less disease, thank you," he muttered, glancing at her departure as she chuckled. 

With that retort, she knew she had gotten to him. 

* * *

He tossed and turned in bed, throwing the blankets and sheets off of himself as he sat up, a cold sweat breaking across his scales. The nightmares were always worse after a battle. His mother and father's cries had always plagued him since he had watched them being slaughter right in front of his eyes. He panted, leaning on his knees with his head in his hands, trying to calm himself. It was times like this that he wished he were back home with his mother, her soft lullabies always soothed the nightmares away. He sighed, getting to his feet and pulling on a pair of pants before padding his way from his room and down the hallway. He paused at the door, staring at the wooden door for a few moments before taking a deep breath, lifting his hand to rap lightly on the door. He waited for a few moments, listening as the bolt slid out of place and the door cracked open. Artemis's eyes were drowsy and he suddenly felt bad for waking her.

"Ram'ku? What's up?" she asked with a yawn.

He swallowed, shifting nervously where he stood, "I... uh..." he paused, not sure how to ask if he could sleep in her bed and not sound like A, a pervert, and B, a child. 

"Are you okay?" she asked, snapping him out of his mind.

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine I just... wanted to see how you were doing," he said, giving her a strained smile.

She gave him a raised eyebrow, "I _was_ sleeping, but now I'm talking to some annoying prince who doesn't have the balls to ask for a night in my bed."

Ram'ku stared at her for a few seconds before frowning, "jokes on you, missy. You just talked your way out of a night with me," he said, folding his arms over his chest. 

She chuckled, "oh really?"

He snorted, "yes."

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, "look, as much as I'm enjoying this lack of conversation, I would really like to get back to bed, so if you don't mind."

She started to close the door, only for him to stop it with his hand, holding it open, "wait!" he exclaimed, sounding panicked.

She stared at him with confusion, "what's going on, Ram?"

He let out a sigh, swallowing his pride and dignity before standing straight, "I... I had a nightmare and... normally I would call my mother and she'd sing to me to help calm me down but..." he rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't want to wake her if she's sleeping. She hardly does, so I was wondering..." He cleared his throat, lowering his eyes to the ground. 

She frowned, "I'm not singing to you. My voice sounds like dragon claws on stone."

"No, I don't want you to sing to me... but I... I could use... some company..." he said hesitantly, shuffling his feet.

She stared at him for a few moments before bursting out laughing, "you had a nightmare so you're asking if you can sleep with me. This is too good! What are you, four?"

Ram'ku scowled at her, finding his need for comfort less hilarious than his companion. "Trust me, you're my last option," he growled, turning to head back to his room, "sorry for bothering you. Goodnight."

She reached out, grabbing his arm before he could walk away as her laughter died down to a quiet chuckle, "wait, wait, wait. I'm sorry."

He glared at her, "are you really, or are you just going to make fun of me?"

She shrugged, "can't it be both?" she asked, rolling her eyes as his narrowed, "come on, Ram. I won't poke fun at you until tomorrow morning."

He sneered at her, jerking his arm from her grip, "fuck you."

She smirked, standing at the door as she watched him walk halfway back to his room before turning around and walking back toward her. She pushed the door open, giving him a pleasant smile as he grumbled under his breath, walking past her and into her room. She rolled her eyes, following him in and closing the door. "Big baby." She slid into bed on one side while he slipped under the covers on the other side, scooting close enough to her to feel her warmth but not so close that they were touching. "What's wrong, Ram'ku? I won't bite."

He snorted, jerking the blankets up to his shoulder, "shut up, harpy."

Artemis chuckled, rolling her eyes as she lay there, listening to him start to drift off.

"Thanks, Arty," he mumbled, his voice almost a whisper.

She smiled, closing her eyes, "I promise silence until it suits me otherwise."

He huffed, "bitch."


	5. Helping An Old Friend; D'usha featuring Mira Stormwind

He pushed through the doors of Enrick's Public house, keeping his hood up and his head down as he took a seat at the bar.

"What's with the hood, D'usha?" the woman behind the bar asked, setting a tankard in front of him. 

He looked up enough to give her a frown, "I'm trying to be anonymous, Anya. Can you at least pretend you don't know me?"

The woman rolled her eyes, glancing at the small Bosmer sitting in the corner before giving him a knowing smirk, "Which girl are you trying to impress this time with the whole 'I'm a mysterious argonian' thing?"

D'usha snorted, "what if I just wanna wear a hood over my head?"

Amanda Bruttia laughed loudly as she stumbled by with a tub of dirty water, sloshing some of it onto the floor, "if you're just wearing that because you want to, I'll stop drinking for the next month."

D'usha gave the woman's back a glare, "who asked you?"

Anya chuckled, wiping down the counter as she shook her head, "alright, D'usha. I'll play along. What will you have?"

He let out a sigh, rubbing between his eyes, "just a bottle of spiced wine if you have it."

"Sorry. We're out of spiced wine," Anya said, eyeing him with a raised eyebrow, "besides, you don't even like spiced wine. Or, at least, you never get it."

"I'm just feeling a little homesick and spiced wine is my mother's favorite drink," he said with a shrug, "but that's fine, I'll just find something else to warm my soul," he gave Anya a charming smile, "or someone."

Anya rolled her eyes, setting a bottle of mead in front of him, "do you want my _husband_ to kick you out again? You didn't learn your lesson last time?"

D'usha scoffed, "that old man? Come on. He can barely kick a fucking cold."

"Ahem!"

D'usha's smile faded as he sighed, "he's standing right behind me, isn't he?"

Anya just smiled at the argonian before moving away to rearrange the tankards on the shelves.

D'usha turned, giving the man a grin, "hey Enrick! How's things?"

Enrick frowned at him, "how many times do I have to tell you to stop flirting with my wife?"

D'usha seemed to think for a moment before smiling, "at least once more."

Enrick glared at him before sighing, "seriously, D'usha. I like you, kid, but if you keep flirting with my wife like that, I'm going to have to kick your ass."

D'usha rolled his eyes, "the only thing you can kick..."

Enrick cut him off, "yeah, yeah, yeah. Just behave yourself in my bar and I won't have to kick you out."

D'usha nodded, "fine. I'll behave."

Amanda laughed as she walked by with the empty tub, "I'll believe that when I stop drinking."

He growled, glaring at her, "who the fuck asked you, Bruttia!?!" he shouted, getting another round of laughs from the chef as he huffed and turned back to the bar, sulking.

Mira sat at her seat in the corner listening to the conversation and grinning. Hearing D'usha's name, she got up and brushed through the other customers to seemingly appear out of nowhere behind him,

"I guess that means the rumors I hear about you are true then? I remember a certain little boy ridiculing me for sleeping around... I bet a hundred septims you've been with at least twice as many!" When D'usha turned around with a glare Mira just smiled at him. It was good to see the younger man again, especially since he was helping her out with something important.

D'usha's frown turned to a smirk as he turned in his seat, leaning back with his elbows up on the counter behind him, "I hadn't actually had sex yet when I made those accusations, so there's that and you'd probably win that a couple of times over," he said with a chuckle, "it's been a while. How're ya doing?"

"Good to see you're smart enough not to take that bet, I'd hate to take all your dishonestly earned coin! I'm doing well though." Mira said as she took a seat beside him, brushing an unruly bit of silver hair out of her face with a huff. Realizing she was getting distracted as usual Mira got down to the reason she was here.

"So I'm in Anvil for a contract... A nobleman here has a... thing for Argonians. Wanna be bait to lure him to me? I have my charms but a wood elf isn't to his particular tastes." She ran her hands over her curves with a mischievous wink to make her point and laughed quietly. She was sure D'usha's answer was going to be entertaining no matter what he decided. Mira watched him for an answer.

D'usha frowned, "sooo... you want me to use my very effective charms... on a dude..."

"I've done my homework, Rodick couldn't care less what you're packing in those pants... As long as you have scales and horns or feathers. All I need you to do is make him think he has a chance so he'll follow you somewhere more private. After that, I do the dirty work and you can stick around to watch or not... If you don't want to do this I can figure something else out, but I'd be grateful for the help." She leaned back against the bar with a casual wave and a smile. It would be easier if D'usha agreed but if he didn't then Mira could always just sneak into the pig's house and stab him. Either way, she'd get paid for the work.

A loud chuckle from the end of the bar made him frown as he turned to the imperial sitting a few stools from them.

"Something funny?" D'usha asked, narrowing his aqua eyes at the man.

The man smirked at him, "just the image of you uncomfortably in the arms of another man."

D'usha turned slightly toward the man, "this is an A B conversation, Pius, so C your way outta it before I break more than your lute."

Pius chuckled again, looking at the argonian with an amused smirk, "did I touch a nerve? The great, charming D'usha Sarqodov not like the idea of a man's hands all over him?"

D'usha ground his teeth before taking a deep breath, calming himself, "it's fine, Pius," he smirked, "I get to leave the tavern with a beautiful woman," pointing his thumb over his shoulder at Mira, "When was the last time _you_ got laid?"

Pius's smile faltered before he cleared his throat and straightened his shoulders, "I have plenty of women crawling at my feet."

D'usha gave a sharp laugh, "yeah, holding their ears," he said, making a show of putting his hands over his ears.

Mira laughed at his typical sass, gods knew there were too many talentless bards who thought they were Nirn's gift to women she thought with an eye roll. It was always satisfying to put them in their place. She made a dramatic show of looping her arm through D'usha's and kissing his cheek, making pointed eye contact with the jealous imperial while she spoke, "We can drink elsewhere love... I'd rather not abuse my ears to the sound of that voice."

Pius scowled at them, looking like he might start a fight before Anya appeared, giving him a stern expression.

"You're here to perform, Pius, not insult my patrons."

Pius glanced at her before giving D'usha another glare and skulking off to the other side of the tavern to D'usha's chuckles.

"And you," Anya said, taking his mead out of his hand, "if you can't behave, you don't get served."

D'usha looked upset, "awww. Come on, Anya," he whined.

She ignored him, heading back to the other end of the bar to clean up. He pouted as Mira took his arm, leading him toward the doors.

Mira led the way outside and headed down the street a short distance before letting go as they rounded a corner. Stepping back with a smile. "Sorry about the act, but I couldn't resist... His face was so funny! I don't actually know the area well enough to know where else we can get a drink though..." She shrugged her slim shoulders, drinking too much with this particular friend could be a disaster given her lack of impulse control while she was drunk, so maybe it was for the best.

D'usha smiled, "I know a place. Matter of fact, I've gotta go there anyway to uh... take care of some unsavory business," he said, nodding toward the front gates, "let's kick it." 

They started walking toward the gate, D'usha's eyes scanning the streets and docks. He noticed a small group of men that had been leaning against one of the warehouses, walking behind them. Normally, it wouldn't bother him, but the fact that they were being eerily quiet as they walked sent red flags up in his head. Instinctively, he slipped his arm around Mira's waist, moving his head just so to make it look like he was giving her a kiss on the side of the head.

"We're being followed. Just keep walking and don't try to engage," he muttered quietly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the men before facing forward. 

Mira leaned into his embrace casually, keeping up the act with a subtle glance at the group following them. The small assassin was wary, but content to let the situation sort itself out. Working with a Dovahkiir, she was confident they could handle a few thugs. If things got bad enough she'd be happy to eat them... Let the sabercat out to play for a bit so to speak. She pretended to return the kiss so she could answer, "I see them, they are pretty obvious really. Wonder who they're after? Probably you lady killer." Mira was used to playing a part to get things done but it was weird faking this sort of thing with someone she remembered as a rowdy brat just a few years ago. D'usha had grown up a lot since then though, matured enough that she felt comfortable asking for his help. Of course, she also doubted that straight-laced Ram'ku would have even thought about saying yes to this, he probably would have told her to fuck off the moment she told him what she needed.

D'usha let out a low, warm chuckle that echoed through the warehouses, "you're probably right about that." 

He led them past the wayshrine as a Nord warrior appeared from the flickering blue fire. The man barely gave the two rogues a glance before taking off with a Jackel running along beside him, breaking the small group of men up as he unceremoniously ran right through them, obviously not caring about the sailors. D'usha took the opportunity, while the sailors shouted insults and sent glares at the Nord's back, to pick up their pace, leading Mira around behind a large boulder and straight to a grate set in the ground. He pulled away from Mira, jerking the grate up and keeping his eyes on where they had come from as he motioned down the damp ladder. "After you, Milady," he said with a smirk.

Sparing just a second to toss him a wink, Mira slid down the ladder quickly so they wouldn't lose their narrow headstart. She moved back so D'usha could follow her down at his own pace, standing in a dank torchlit passage. Her nose wrinkled slightly at the musty smell, but it was just part of the charm of a criminal's life at this point. Further inside there was a little more light, so it was easier to see the messy outlaws refuge... Not that she needed any help to see in the dark.

"You bring me to all the best places D'usha." She muttered with a hint of sarcasm. She wasn't in any place to judge, as a contract killer. And really she didn't mind, this sort of place was more her speed than stuffy noble mansions... She wasn't looking forward to that pack of backstabbing wolves. At least an anonymous friend had scored her a couple of invites to Rodick's little party so she wouldn't have to sneak them in. 

"Of course! Only the best for my best girl," he purred, giving her a wink as they moved easily across the large room to what looked like a shop. He moved forward, leaning on the counter as he looked around, "hello? Dasra? You in?"

A loud crash came from behind the tattered curtain behind the counter before a redguard woman stumbled out of the back with a broom in her hand.

D'usha gave her a smile as she narrowed her eyes at him, walking to the counter, "hey, Dasra. I got a few things I'd like..."

She cut him off with a dagger through his hand.

"AH! WHAT THE FUCK DASRA!?!" he shouted, keeping his hand still, blood pooling on the counter under his hand. Mira's protective nature kicking in hard as she snarled with her green eyes glowing in the dim lighting, but she restrained herself. D'usha could handle this and they didn't need any extra trouble down here.

"I thought I told you to stay away from my sister, Lizard," she snarled, her glare burning into him.

"You should really talk to your sister about lying, Das, because I didn't fucking touch her," he growled, pulling the dagger out of his hand, "owwww."

"I'd believe my sister over a horny, playboy any day. Now get away from my shop before I shove this broom up your ass," she growled, brandishing the broom like a spear.

"Alright, alright, geez. It's not like you're the only fence down here, anyway," he grumbled, tossing the dagger onto the counter before heading for the other fence, "bitch."

"You okay?" Mira asked quietly as she picked up his hand and healed the wound. The bosmer still looked angry, but she was taking deep breaths to calm down even while her inner beast was growling threats _'kill the bitch who hurt the cub'_ she just shook her head and ignored the savage voice. Checking both sides of the younger argonians hand to be sure everything looked normal.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he said with a sigh.

Satisfied, she let go and allowed D'usha to get back to talking to the fence. 

Mira sat down at a nearby counter and pulled out a few small bottles to mix tonics and poisons while he took care of his own business. Humming a tune she poured various snake venoms and herbal extracts together to make a coating for darts that would cause the unfortunate victim to suffer severe internal bleeding and bruising. Over the years she had increased her natural resistance to poison enough that she did this with her bare hands when another race would have needed gloves to protect themselves. This was just something to distract from the annoyed muttering of the predator who shared her thoughts

_'Why do you ignore me? That female should be taught a lesson! We should go make her bleed...'_ Mira just sighed and continued working while she kept an eye on the situation to make sure this wouldn't end the same way as it had with Dasra. If there was any more violence, then someone would sorely regret it. Things seemed to be going fine without her interference though.

"So, I'll give you one hundred and fifty-eight septims for all this," the fence said, writing something on the board in his hand.

D'usha frowned, "Dasra would have given me more and she hates me at the moment," he growled, narrowing his eyes at the man.

"Well, then go sell it to her," he said, turning away to talk to another thief.

D'usha snorted, "fine, I'll take it. It's better than nothing," he muttered, half thinking about dropping his mother's name, but deciding against it. _I'm not going to use that to my advantage over a few measly coins,_ he thought, taking the coin purse from the redguard before joining Mira at the bar, "sorry about that. I had to unload that shit before the guard stopped me or something," he paused, ordering a drink and taking a long drink before looking at Mira, "so, you want me to go with you to distract this dude. Now... how _exactly_ does this guy like argonians?"

"It's fine, I'm not in any hurry. The party where it will be easiest to get close to him isn't for another two days anyway." She waved away his apology with a little smirk.

"I'm sure you can guess how he likes argonians though. Rodick's family owns a fleet of fishing boats and they employ a lot of argonians for obvious reasons. He's been refusing to pay their wages and has also assaulted a couple of them... So the fishermen pooled some of their money to hire me to take care of the bastard. Seriously, you don't have to do much, and he won't be getting his hands on you if I have my way." The very idea annoyed her for a lot of reasons. Mostly because Rodick was a creep, and didn't like to take no for an answer... 

"So what do you say? Pretend you'll let this pig touch you and I'll kill him and split the pay with you." Mira asked calmly as she gestured for the barman to bring over another round, putting the deadly vials of poison away and rinsing her hands with a waterskin before she took the drinks and handed over the money.

"Thanks, handsome." She murmured at the man who just gave her a small smile as he walked away. Sipping the drink she let D'usha think it over patiently, she wouldn't blame him if he said no. This sort of job wasn't for everyone. Honestly, Mira wouldn't do this herself if it wasn't helping a bunch of poor, downtrodden people.

D'usha nodded, "I heard something like that from Beek. He mentioned that a couple of Argonians had disappeared from the guy's manor too," he said, taking a slow drink from his mead, "not only that, but I also heard that he's been bringing in 'workers' from Blackmarsh that also disappear, especially if they don't have any family." He paused, glancing at her, "why didn't you ask Ram'ku? He's already had a run-in with the guy a few times."

"I didn't think he'd go for it considering the plan I had in mind. Not that I was sure you would either actually, it just seemed a little more likely since you know how to loosen up." Swirling her drink in her tankard she continued, "I got a couple of invites to his little party so we can go together. From everything I've heard Rodick won't mind me tagging along, so I'll be able to watch your back and you won't have to be alone with him for a second." Mira could only imagine what would happen if Misty heard that she had let D'usha get into trouble while he was helping her on a job.

"Your mother would roast me alive if anything happened to you, so I won't be out of sight for a second while we're anywhere near the bastard. It sounds like this goes further than I thought at first. We should be very careful, and maybe keep an eye out for more... If I find anything I can report it to a friend who is in good standing with the guards." She rubbed her forehead in slight irritation, things were never as simple as they looked on the surface. Why she ever expected different was anyone's guess. 

"Anyway all we have to do before then is get proper clothes and make sure you're looking your hottest. So the day of the party you should use this," Mira set a tin of special oils on the table between them. "A little something I cooked up myself, it's scented with sandalwood and musk, and it will make your scales shiny and vibrant... Not that they aren't already." She gave him a flirty smile and an obvious appreciative look. She always had fun with teasing like that, and clearly so did D'usha.

D'usha scoffed, "looking hotter than I already do would be a crime," he said, running his hand across the side of his head as he smirked, "besides that, what mama don't know won't kill either of us." He turned the bottle in front of his on the counter, thinking for a few moments before nodding, "alright, I'll do it, but you don't have to keep an eye on me like I'm a child. I can take care of myself. I damn near have to with all the trouble I get myself in, and no, I'm not talking about trying to bed every vagina with legs." He rolled his eyes, finishing off his drink, "alright, I'm in," he smirked, leaning on the bar and a little closer to her, "for a kiss."

Mira's eyes widened in surprise at that last bit! Was he serious? One way to find out she supposed... "Hmm, I think you're bluffing..." She pressed herself close to him, looking up through her lashes with her lips parted a little in a sigh. It was hard to say exactly where she wanted this to go... On one hand, their age difference was relatively small for elven standards, on the other, she still remembered him from before he was even a teenager! Being friends with his mother and some of his siblings didn't make things any less weird either, but she didn't think he actually meant it anyway so there was no point in worrying. Still, he might surprise her...

He swallowed, his heart hammering in his chest, but he kept his expression just this side of cocky, "now, what would Uncle Agamor say if he found out you were smooching on a much younger, more attractive man?"

"I'm sure you know neither of us is very possessive. Besides, I wasn't going to go through with it... Maybe I will if you do a good enough job on this little adventure though." D'usha was putting up a convincing front, but she could see his pulse racing so she knew he was nervous. Mira couldn't help but tease him a little over it, he was too cute to resist the urge. Still, she moved away a little to ease his nerves, after she planted a gentle kiss on his cheek anyway.

"Will that do for now?" She asked with a faint blush as she picked her drink back up and finished it in a couple of quick swallows. He wasn't the only one feeling a little awkward. Mira at least admitted to herself that he'd grown up handsome, and she _did_ have an arrangement with her mate back at home... But not for casual hookups! Agamor _had_ agreed to let her bring in a third partner, someone she would have a deep bond with, but she hadn't chosen anyone. After his previous relationship, Mira would never abuse his trust by sleeping with random men whenever the opportunity came up. 

He let out a disappointed sigh, "I guess," he mock complained, sitting back on his stool and ordering a couple more drinks for them, "so, two days until the party. What're we going to do until then?"

"Seems to me like you plan on getting me drunk and getting that kiss anyway." She teased, accepting the drink despite it being the third she'd had in a short span. "I didn't really have any plans, maybe some hunting or street performances. I have a camp set up outside of the city to relax at in my free time." Mira shrugged casually. There was no shortage of things to do if you used a little creativity, still, two days was a long time to sit around waiting... The impulsive wood elf hated being bored and often got into mischief when there was nothing to do.

"I'd be happy to return the favor if you have anything you need help with? Besides being good at killing people, I've had a good bit of success with spying or security work." When she wasn't taking contracts being a bodyguard was good pay. Easy work too in most cases, her employer's enemies usually thought she was some sort of escort and dismissed her as a threat, so they were often surprised to find her appearing with a blade pressed to their vital bits. She smirked at that thought.

D'usha chuckled, "maybe I am, but seriously. You can stay at my place. I have a nice little hovel out in the wilderness. I even have a working shower if you're into that sort of thing," he said, taking a drink from his tankard, "if you want to. I'm not gonna force you into it if you aren't comfortable with it," he glanced toward Dasra as she swept in front of her stall, "despite what people think and how I portray myself, I do let the girls come to me."

"It beats staying in a tent by myself, so that would be nice." Her face got a more gentle look as she reached out and patted his hand, "I know better than to think you'd be forcing yourself on women who don't want you, anyone who thinks otherwise is ignorant. Besides I'd like to see you try and force me into _anything_ honey!" Mira challenged with a grin. She finished off her drink and stood up, stumbling slightly and yelping. The alcohol had gotten to her faster than she thought, that's what she got for drinking for the first time in ages. 

Blushing to the tips of her pointed ears Mira mumbled, "Uh... Let's just go..." With a glare toward Dasra, she walked back toward the ladder without checking to make sure he was following her.

He watched her walk away with a raised eyebrow before chuckling and shaking his head, "I better follow her before she gets in trouble," he said, tossing some coins on the counter before following after her and helping her climb the ladder. Mira giggled when he accidentally tickled her sides while he helped her.

* * *

He sighed as he carried her piggy-back toward a large rock face, "geez, Mira. You'd think that you never drank before." 

"I try and avoid drinking too much, every time I do I wake up in a random bed. Less often now, since Agamor usually makes sure I come home with him." She poked the tip of his nose while she was talking, normally she wouldn't have let him carry her around but she'd rather allow it than trip over the uneven ground out here and end up falling on her face. So she just kept her arms around his neck and relaxed.

"I'm not too heavy am I? You can set me down anytime if you get tired of hauling me around." She laughed when he looked mildly insulted at the implication that he couldn't handle the weight. "What? I'm heavier than I look and I know it."

"Sweetheart, if I can carry a baby mammoth on my back while running away from the mother, I can carry you. Trust me, you're really not that heavy," he said, frowning at the memory of the angry mother mammoth and family chasing him across the tundra around Whiterun. If the money hadn't been that good, he would have just dropped the baby and ran, but it was worth it in the end and the guy that bought the poor creature was treating it well, last he had checked.

"Sweet and cute, someone is gonna be a lucky lady one day. But why in the world would you steal a baby mammoth?!" Mira asked, her expression switching from pleased to confused as what he said caught up to her. There was a pretty good trade in exotic animals if one knew who to ask. She hoped he had given the baby to someone who would be good to it. Mira had a big soft spot for animals and children, of course, she knew D'usha probably wouldn't give a living thing to some irresponsible weirdo.

"I'm tired..." She slurred with a little yawn, then tucked her face into the side of his neck with her eyes closed. D'usha's back was warm and comfortable and she was starting to doze off while he walked. Sleepy mumbles escaping against his skin, most of which were too quiet for him to hear but a few weird things reached him like...

"I don't want to take a bath with Sibbi..." Or "Why is there bacon in the soap?"

He chuckled at these, having heard weirder from some of the people that he worked with, and they didn't even have the excuse of being asleep. He pushed his elbow against a rock on the wall. The stone wall shifted, sliding to the side to reveal a dark cave entrance. He walked into the cave without hesitation, the cave wall sliding closed shut him in complete darkness. Luckily, he knew every turn of the cave that led to his hideout, a special gift his adoptive father had given him after a really bad run-in with a group of bounty hunters that had decided he was worth more dead than alive. Unfortunately for them, he was visiting his mom and dad at their hideaway in the Rift in Skyrim, Ebongrove. His parents value their privacy and a group of bounty hunters breaking down their front door was a definite invasion of said privacy. Only one bounty hunter walked away from that alive and that was, in his father's words, "to keep any more from showing up". He took a deep breath as he walked past the large waterfall and into the semi-open floorplan of the cave. _Home_ , he thought, walking down the stone steps and to the bed sitting in a raised part of the cave floor. He pulled the blankets back on the bed, moving the pillows around to make room for the bosmer. He stood straight, turning away and sitting on the edge of the bed, gently pulling Mira's arms from around his neck, letting her drop back onto the bed. He stood up, rolling his shoulders before turning back to the woman, gently pulling her boots from her feet and setting them beside the bed before starting to work on the straps of her armor. 

"Mmmmh, come here cuteness..." D'usha managed to dodge her attempts at cuddling until he got her armor off, then she caught him by the arm and tugged him down sleepily. Mira was small and soft-looking but having beast blood made her very strong, so the argonian stood little chance of getting her to let go without help.

He growled, trying to push her arms off before sighing in defeat, "well, I better get comfortable," he muttered, pulling his armor and shirt off with the small woman still clinging to him before tossing them aside. He pulled the covers up, using his tail to get them to his hand since he couldn't just bend to get them. He sighed again, making sure to tuck the blanket around her shoulders before settling in.

* * *

Waking up late the next morning was nice, Mira felt relaxed and cozy in the blankets. Feeling a body pressed against her back she smiled and snuggled up closer until she looked down and saw a red-scaled arm draped over her chest almost in her top. She suddenly remembered drinking with D'usha the night before and then falling asleep while he carried her to his place. Mira panicked a little, she had teased and flirted yesterday but she hadn't really meant to sleep with him! Lifting the blankets carefully she noted that she was wearing undergarments, but she couldn't see if he was...

"Damn... Did we...? Ugh, I don't remember!" D'usha started shifting behind her and she blushed even more deeply but stayed put. She could handle this... She was a mature adult! "Well good morning." Mira sighed, rolling onto her back so she could see him.

He yawned wide, his tongue curling between his teeth, still barely awake before he rolled into a sitting position, "coffee," he mumbled, pushing to his feet and stumbling his way over to the kitchen area of the cavern. He pushed a couple of buttons on the coffee maker, the device beeping when it had started brewing. He yawned again, leaning on the counter with his chin in his hand as he snoozed, barely conscious at the moment.

Mira stayed in the bed quietly, giving her friend time to wake up. Not everyone was a morning person like she was. Arching her back and stretching her arms above her head, she watched the sleepy young man appreciatively. Since D'usha wasn't ready to talk yet Mira got out of bed and started doing what most would consider an extreme stretching/yoga routine. But the bosmer was a contortionist, so it was only natural to keep up her flexibility! Standing straight, she began by twisting her upper body left and right, then bent forward and placed her hands flat on the floor. By the time she was down to working on her legs the coffee was finished and D'usha was fixing a cup. She ended her stretches in a vertical split with the leg behind her pulled toward her head.

He yawned, absently pouring almost one measuring cup's worth of sugar into the glass. He hated the bitter taste of coffee but despised the earthy taste of tea more. He never understood how his sisters and a couple of his brothers could drink the stuff. _Next time mother visits her world, I'm asking her to get me some energy drinks or something,_ he thought taste-testing the coffee and shuddering. He stared at the cup for a few minutes, his brain having a hard time wading through the fog of sleep before he remembered, "creamer..." he mumbled, moving around the table to the small icebox sitting against the wall. He pulled open the door, reaching in the back for the Hershey coffee creamer Minna had left there. "Score," he hissed, opening the top and sniffing it. He couldn't remember when Minna had last used his hideout and hoped the creamer hadn't gone bad. He barely noticed Mira moving away from the bed as he finished off making his cup of coffee and took a sip. He wrinkled his nose slightly, his taste buds still picking up the barely-there bitterness, but he couldn't do anything about that. No matter how he doctored up the coffee, he could still taste coffee, as his mother would say. He yawned again, rolling his head around his shoulders before pulling out eggs, "you want breakfast, Mira?" he asked, awake enough that his stomach was now complaining. 

"Sure, let me know if you need any help. I finally know a bit more about cooking." She stood up and pulled on her pants, not bothering with getting fully dressed yet. She was still a little anxious but not worried much. D'usha had said he let the girls come to him and she believed that... But she had a tendency to get very flirty and affectionate when drunk, Mira wouldn't put it past herself to come onto him quite strongly and not remember doing it! Which would be a shame, she thought as she sat at his table. She would like to remember something like that... Suddenly realizing the dirty turn her thoughts had taken Mira blushed and groaned quietly, blaming her beast blood for her stupidly high libido.

"Hey D, um... We didn't... Do anything more than sleep, did we?" Her face and ears were pink but she forced herself to maintain eye contact as she asked, nervously rubbing her hands together.

He paused cracking the eggs, studying her face for a few seconds before going back to what he was doing, "if you call a night of hot passionate sex just sleeping then yeah sure, we didn't do anything other than sleep," he said, turning away to rifle through the cabinet and to hide his grin, "you're a bit of a clawer. I swear I lost scales last night, but it was worth it." He stifled a laugh as he glanced over his shoulder, finding the look of mixed embarrassment and horror on her face amusing. 

Mira really didn't know if he was serious or not, but if he was messing with her then two could play that game! She faked a despairing sigh and rested her chin in her hands. "Really? It's a shame I don't remember anything then... Maybe you can refresh my memory." She purred, walking around the table and trailing her nails lightly over his back once she was close enough, barely managing to keep the sultry expression going when he jumped at the soft touch! She reached the base of his tail and stopped, not wanting to be too forward.

D'usha kept stirring the eggs in the pan, forcing himself to concentrate on what he was doing and not her touch, "as much as I'd love to remind you of last night," he said, pulling a couple of plates down from the cabinets and scooping the eggs onto them before looking at her, "the eggs'll get cold."

"Hm, food's more important." Mira grinned, stepping back away from him again. She decided to stop playing with D'usha for now and just helped him set things at the table. She was really hungry anyway, so she sat down with a contented hum. "This is a nice place, even more secure than my old cabin."

D'usha nodded, getting started on the bacon, "yeah. Dad gave it to me after I had a run-in with a group of bounty hunters a while back. He said he didn't need it anymore since he's got mom to watch his back now. I spruced it up with a few things here and there, of course. Make it my own, but, for the most part, I didn't change much."

"Anyone going after your mother's people has to have lost their minds... My place was an abandoned drug den when I found it, no one had been there in years. So I cleaned out all the skooma and moon sugar and made it up the way I wanted. The only thing I kept was the alchemy table and books. I only keep the place now so that my dangerous pets are far away from people that might get hurt trying to handle them." She knew from experience that some people couldn't resist trying to touch the brightly colored animals in the cages around her home... So she always kept antidotes on hand for the ones who didn't heed her explicit warnings.

"So if you don't have formal clothes you can come with me to the tailor to pick something out. I didn't bring anything appropriate with me this time." Until the party there was no other business to take care of, so she had a lot of free time to fill.

D'usha chuckled, scrapping the bacon onto a plate and setting it on the table, "for the most part, mother lets us ruin our own lives. They just heard I was in that area and tracked me to my parents' front door and you know how mom and dad are about uninvited guests. I try not to use my family name for obvious reasons," he said, cleaning the pan and cooking utensil, "I still have the choking noble clothes I wore to Magnifico Felora's canceled wedding so I can just wear that. No point in letting it go to waste, but if you want to go into town to shop for something, I wouldn't mind tagging along."

"Gaining a reputation on your own merits is a lot more satisfying, best to save the name dropping for more important matters. Not that I have many connections to use in that way. But yes it's probably a good idea to get the dress situation out of the way early, I'll have to make alterations to anything they have in stock to make it fit. While I'm at it I can take a look at your clothes to see if I can make them more comfortable?" While she was talking Mira divided the bacon and eggs onto their plates just to help with the workload. She really appreciated the effort he was going to helping her out and letting her stay with him.

He snagged a piece of bacon and thought for a few moments before shaking his head, "Nah. I don't think you should. Percius would feel the alteration in his tailor bone and send me a nasty letter... or show up on my doorstep," he said, shaking his head again, "we'll just get you something to wear and I'll pick up a few things for dinner tonight unless you want to scope out the taverns for information. If the scale humper is having a party, his guests will probably be in the inns and taverns in the city," he smirked, "I could use a few more trinkets for my collection and coin in the bank." He finished off his coffee, wrinkling his nose at it before going to the icebox and pulling out a container of orange juice.

Mira chuckled at that, craftsmen could be prickly about people messing with their work, still, this Percius should have made sure D'usha was comfortable before letting the clothes out of his shop. But she'd let that go. "Sounds like a fine plan to me. I'm not much of a thief but I'm happy to be a distraction while you rob them blind. As for information all I have to do is sit around and listen, catlike senses really come in handy." She took a few bites of the food and hummed in appreciation, he had done a good job. 

He nodded, pouring a glass of OJ and placing it beside her plate, "sounds like a plan then. And, honestly, most of my conquests come from thieving. Some noblewoman wants to get back at her husband for cheating or a girl wants to get back at her daddy for not buying her the pretty bracelet," he smirked, pouring himself a glass, "it's easy to talk yourself into someone's bed when they aren't happy in their relationship." He took a drink from the glass, "course, most of them just help me steal their valuables but I get a romp or two sometimes," he smirked again, "like last night."

She blushed slightly at the thought but winked at him anyway. Mira still had no clue if he was telling the truth, she had been drunk and sleepy last night otherwise she would remember everything. "Why do you think I mainly kill men? Cheating husbands are the majority of my targets... Or just assholes that my clients couldn't figure out how to get rid of any other way." Once again her thoughts turned to how that might have gone... "Damn it... Get your head out of the gutter!" She muttered to herself under her breath and finished eating in an effort to think about _anything_ else.

"Yeah, but sometimes it's the people that want someone dead that are the problem," he said, shoving a fork full of eggs in his mouth, "I had someone offer a lot of money to kill a guy. Turned out, it was the wife that used a third party to contact me. She was trying to cash out her husband's fortune since she found out that he was going to change his will," he swallowed the eggs, picking up his glass, "needless to say, I don't like being used like that. So the woman ended up at the bottom of the lake she was holding up in."

"True, since I mostly do this for fun I make sure to get all the facts before I accept a contract. I'm not about to be manipulated by lying pricks who are just after money or are feeling pissy because someone hurt their feelings. Can't say I blame you for taking her out." Mira would do the same thing if some idiot lied to get her to do their dirty work for them. She wasn't a lackey and she chose her actions carefully if it was a serious matter, like life or death.

"Thanks for breakfast D, that was pretty good." She got up and took her dishes to his sink to wash them herself.

"No problem. Mom taught all of us a little cooking so we didn't starve to death," he said, finishing off his eggs and stretching. He yawned, drinking down his juice before taking his plate and glass to the sink. He moved to the desk, gathering a stack of mail and taking a seat in the chair as he went through it, propping his feet up on the desk as he read the letters. He frowned at one letter, narrowing his eyes before sitting up and pulling the cellphone toward him, dialing a number. "If you want to take a bath or shower, the bathing area is behind those screens over there," he said, motioning toward a grouping of screens on the other side of the large, open-plan room. "Hey Al. I got your letter. What's up?"

Mira walked over to the screens and checked out the shower, then sniffed her clothes and figured they were clean enough to be worth bathing. So she undressed and turned on the water to wash up. She missed her usual scented soaps but she could do without them for the moment. While she was rinsing out her hair Mira began singing a song she'd learned while she was traveling,

" _Of all the money that e'er I had, I spent it in good company. And all the harm that ever I've done, alas it was to none but me, and all I've done for want of wit to memory now I can't recall. So fill to me the parting glass..."_

She stepped out of the shower and got dried off and redressed, braiding her damp hair to get it out of the way and then retrieving her armor from near the bed. It was a relief to wash off the scent of the city again even if she didn't have her perfume or lotion with her now.

"No I haven't talked to Zarain in... months. I think the only one that Zarain ever calls regularity in mom," he said, leaning back in his chair, putting one of his feet on the desk as he chuckled, "yeah. I think that's the reason that most of us call her." He listened for a few moments before furrowing his brows, "I'm heading to Anvil, why?" He listened, narrowing his eyes, "I'm actually on a job right now... I guess I could ask. We're just shopping for the day," he lowered the phone, turning in his seat to look at Mira, "hey, Mira. You mind Alesan and Solitar tagging along for the day? They're in the area and wanted to hang out. I have no problem telling them to fuck off if you don't want them along." He rolled his eyes as a loud voice shouted from the phone.

Pulling her boots on she thought about it for a second and then grinned, "Sure, we'll make a little trouble maker's reunion out of it! If I wasn't trying to keep a low profile then Anvil wouldn't know what hit it." Knowing the men in question trouble might still happen but if it came down to it she could just duck out until things calmed down again. The last thing she needed was the whole town remembering the strange wood elf showing up suddenly and then disappearing immediately after a local ended up dead. Maybe she was asking for trouble saying yes... But she was going to anyway because it would be nice to see them!

He nodded, going back to a lounging position in the chair, "she said yes," he listened rolling his eyes again, "yeah, we'll meet you guys by All That Glitters. It's one of the shops here... yep. See ya then." He hung up and heaved a heavy sigh, letting his head and arms fall as he closed his eyes. "I hope they didn't bring trouble with them."

"Those two are chaos on legs, I'd be more surprised if they didn't bring a little extra drama. Let me guess you were rolling your eyes because they asked if you were doing the girl in the background?" She laughed, over the years of knowing D'usha and his other siblings she had gotten used to their... Unusual way of testing people. It was all insults and bad tempers until you could prove that you weren't just trying to get a political leg up or into their mother's bed. To be honest not much changed if you could make it that far but the hazing became a little more affectionate in nature. Especially if you played the game with them and took it in good spirits.

"Did you tell them who it was? I wasn't really listening until you got my attention."

D'usha shrugged, "I said your name and Alesan's a hell of a lot smarter than Solitar, so he probably knows it's you. I don't know if he's gonna say anything to Sol or not but, it'll be interesting either way," he said with another yawn and stretch before getting to his feet and shuffling to the oriental wardrobe and pulling it open, "I'm thinking something more casual for the day. I have a feeling I'm going to need to wear something I can run in," he muttered, pulling a soft blue cotton tunic from a hanger and a pair of brown leather pants before heading for the bathing area. "I'm going to get a quick shower in before we go. I have a workout room through that door and a lounge up the stairs if you just want to chill for a few minutes."

"Wait... You don't have to be chased down and hosed anymore? No wonder women like you now. I'll wait in the lounge, take your time." As she turned and walked up the stairs she called back over her shoulder teasingly, "Try not to picture me being naked in there right before you!" She giggled and then sat down in one of the armchairs and pulled a small journal out of her hip pouch to sketch some exotic flowers she had found on one of her trips through Blackmarsh. 

* * *

He sighed, leaning against the wall of the shop as he looked up and down the street for his brutish brothers. He pulled his phone from his satchel, looking at the time with a frown, "goddammit. Where are those idiots?" he growled, starting to get annoyed, "call me and then not show up for hours. Bastards."

Mira was inside All that Glitters looking through their clothes for something that would impress the nobles and call enough attention to her and D'usha. The goal was to get Rodick to approach them. She was sort of annoyed at how long the process was taking and sighed, deciding to call the shop keeper over for a little help. Onurai-Maht came quickly and asked what she needed.

"What can I get you?" The grayscaled argonian woman said. Mira answered the question with only a hint of frustration, it wasn't the clerk's fault she was having trouble.

"I need a dress for a party at Rodick Berulus' manor and I can't seem to find anything that will work. Do you have anything in blue or gold?"

Onurai smiled and nodded, "I have just the thing, give me a moment and I'll fetch it for you!" She returned with a floor-length translucent blue dress and some paired accessories. The backless number came with a wide belt, decorative gauntlets, and a cape with a leather collar and shoulders, all done in golden scales. The irony of that didn't escape the assassin and she couldn't help but laugh.

"That's perfect! I'll take it, thank you." Mira paid two hundred septims for the outfit without batting an eye, she would make five times that much doing this job, even splitting the money with a partner. Besides, she had to look the part, or this wouldn't work.

"Come again anytime!" Onurai-Maht called as she walked out the door with her purchase bundled carefully under her arm. Mira wandered happily over to D'usha who was still standing around by himself looking increasingly agitated. "They're _still not here?_ Stendarr's mercy, I've known divas who showed up more on time than those two..."

D'usha snorted, "tell me about it. Mother fuckers called _me_ about hanging out," he growled and grumbled, glancing toward the fighter's guild with a sigh, "I should have known. Come on. I think I know where those idiots turned up." He led the way toward the fighter's guild with Mira close behind. They made their way up the stairs and through the doors and were met with the sound of loud cheering chanting coming from a group of men and women standing around the center of the room. D'usha rolled his eyes and shook his head, "yep. There they are." He took Mira's hand and pushed through the crowd, giving a couple of men that were larger than him a shove into a few others, getting complaints from the men that he ignored. They stepped out into the cleared area where a large redguard and a brute of a cat had their hands locked together, both glaring and baring their teeth at one another as they tried to strong-arm one another. 

"I'm going to break you and then break your mother's bed when I fuck her," the khajiit hissed at the redguard.

The redguard gave a loud laugh, "you'll have to get past my dad first, and he eats dragons for breakfast." He jerked to the side, causing the khajiit to stumble a step as he turned, wrapping his arm around the cat's neck and locking it in. Mira recognized Alesan and grinned, some things never changed.

The kahjiit hissed and snarled, his claws scratching across the redguard's arm. The redguard winced but kept a hold of the kahjiit, tightening his grip before the cat started to go limp. He released his hold, dropping the khajiit to the ground at his feet before he smirked, holding his hands out at his sides as he stalked around the circle, "who else wants some!?!" he shouted, getting a round of both cheers and boos from the crowd.

D'usha shook his head, "idiot," he muttered, releasing Mira's hand and cupping his hands around his mouth before shouting, "I WANT YOU TO KEEP YOUR APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR BROTHER!"

The redguard turned, giving D'usha a surprised stare before grinning like an idiot at his brother, "D'usha! Bro! What's up?!" he hollered, stepping over the khajiit as he made his way to D'usha and Mira, picking the argonian up in a tight hug that D'usha struggled against. Mira watched the little show with amusement.

"ACK! Alesan! Put me down, you fucking brute!" D'usha snarled, trying to wiggle out of his large brother's grip.

Alesan laughed, dropping D'usha to his feet before looking at Mira, "Aunt Mira," he said with as much enthusiasm, giving her a much more gentle, but firm hug, "it's been a long time. How are you?"

Returning the hug with a pleased smile she answered, "It really has, but I'm doing well, you giant. Where did Sol get off to?" The much smaller woman stepped back to really look at Alesan, by the gods he had gotten so brawny! "You look good, kid." She patted the thick muscle on his upper arm while she looked around the fighting ring and the crowds. It almost made her want to join in. But she was sure that the brothers had other plans so she would wait to see what they wanted to do first. 

Alesan puffed up his chest proudly, "three meals a day and the training dad started us on helped," he said, nodding toward the side of the hall where the doors leading up were, "Sol went up to have a... ahem... 'private' session with one of the new recruits."

D'usha's lips spread apart in a deviant grin, "you thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

Alesan grinned back, "oh yeah," he said, glancing at Mira, "you coming, Aunt Mira, or are you going to stick around here and watch a few more fights?"

"And miss whatever has you looking like that? No, you've piqued my curiosity so lead the way." Whatever they were up to was bound to be fun, and possibly illegal so she was definitely coming with them. She followed the men, pushing through the crowd as roughly as D'usha had before, making a few people a little confused about who had shoved them. Couldn't have been the runty wood elf... Could it? If they weren't going to make room for her to get through then she'd make a path if she had to walk over them. It wasn't any ruder than them standing in her way... 

They made their way through the doors turn up the stairs following the hallway to where the bedrooms were. D'usha and Alesan when there are against one of the doors listening to the sounds of kissing and heavy petting on the other side. Alesan covered his mouth to keep from laughing as they both stood straight at the door and beat heavily against the wood, screaming and shouting something nonsense. They shuffled back as the door was violently jerked open, revealing a very flustered Solitar. He glared at them for a few seconds before his eyes went wide with surprise, then back to being narrowed in agitation. 

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" He growled as the two laughed, "I'm kinda in the middle of something! Ya mind?"

"We'd mind even less if we were allowed to join," D'usha said, ducking under the large altmer's arms as he tried to grab for the Argonian.

"No, find your own girl!" Solitar growled between his teeth.

"I already have," D'usha said with a grin, draping his arm over Mira's shoulders, "you remember Mira, right Sol?"

Solitar blinked down at the small woman as if seeing her for the first time. He furrowed his brows and folded his large, almost overly muscled arms over his broad chest, frowning at the woman, "I don't remember you being that small. Were you always that small? Seriously, I could put you in the backpack I carry around."

This got another round of laughter from D'usha and Alesan as they waited for Solitar to get his ass kicked. Mira raised an eyebrow at him then let out an annoyed growl. Even after all her years hearing them, comments about her size got on her nerves as much as ever. She stepped toward Solitar and replied slowly as if she was making sure he could understand, "Yes Sol, I've always been this small... You got taller... That's how it works. Now come here and give your Aunt Mira a hug." The last sentence was muttered in a falsely cheery tone with a smile that was more bared teeth than anything, but the altmer didn't seem to notice. When he reached out to give her a hug she caught his wrist and yanked him forward. He stumbled at the unexpected move and she kicked one of his knees to put him down to her level with his arm twisted behind him painfully.

"Next time remember, just because I'm short doesn't mean I can't kick your ass... Still good to see you though Sol!" She planted a kiss on his cheek and let him go gently but warily. With his temper, he might just retaliate instead of letting it go. If so she was ready to repeat the lesson for him. Mira walked back around to stand in front of him with his brothers, smiling peacefully.

"Ass kicked by a wood elf," Alesan chuckled, "what kind of altmer lets himself get beat up by a wood elf?"

"And a girl at that," D'usha laughed, knowing full well that if any of his sisters were around, he wouldn't stand a chance. Mira shook her head at them pissing off their already grouchy brother.

"Go fuck yourselves," Solitar snarled, getting to his feet and trying to loom over Mira, "do that again and I'll bend you into a pretzel."

D'usha laughed again, "she does a pretty good job at doing that to herself. I don't think she needs your help with that, Sol."

Solitar gave D'usha a raised eyebrow, "how do you know that?"

D'usha rolled his eyes, "first, the contortionist stuff she did to entertain us when we were kids. Second, she stayed with me last night."

Alesan narrowed his eyes at D'usha, "really now..."

D'usha nervously chuckled, waving his hands defensively, "nothing happened. She was drunk and needed a place to stay." Mira's eyes narrowed in mild irritation, the little shit had her half believing they'd had sex all day. She really should teach him a lesson for that...

Alesan stared intensely at D'usha for a few more seconds before smiling and standing straight, "good. I'd hate to hug you until your body split in half."

D'usha laughed nervously, looking unsure if his brother was serious or not.

"So now you finally admit it? I knew you were bluffing! I'm guessing you couldn't get out of my clingy cuddling. I'm surprised to see you defending my honor though Alesan, or maybe it's just because I'm with Agamor. Either way, thanks." She smiled at the trio widely and then turned to Solitar with a challenging look, "If you want to try bending me into a pretzel there's a bedroom right behind you...or the ring downstairs, but I really recommend not challenging a trained assassin to a fight..." Her eyes lit up with excitement at the idea, she loved a good battle! Must be part of the reason she got along so well with Nords... Or at least the ones who weren't bigoted dicks. 

Solitar smirked, stepping to the side and motioning into the bedroom, "after you."

Alesan and D'usha frowned at him. Mira just chuckled, she wasn't serious.

"Dude..." D'usha said, looking slightly disgusted.

"What?!" Solitar hissed, glaring at them.

"She's our aunt," Alesan said, furrowing his brow at his brother.

"Not technically," Solitar muttered, "and older women have a lot more to offer in experience than younger women."

D'usha and Alesan exchanged a glance before laughing.

"You're a granny fucker," D'usha said, holding his stomach as he laughed.

Solitar sneered at his brothers, "shut up!"

"First of all Sol is right... Dibella worshipper, duh," she pointed at herself with a smirk. "Second, I haven't even hit my first century yet so I'm nowhere near being a granny! Third, I'm not hopping into bed with any of you. If I was going to do that it would be something more than a fling, and I'm sure none of you are trying to settle down yet." She took their teasing about her age with a light heart, completely used to it. Besides she wasn't old and they all knew it. 

"What do you three actually want to do? I took care of what I needed already." 

Solitar frowned, pointing his thumb behind him, "well I _was_ about to do something, but I guess whatever these two are wanting to do," he grumbled, looking annoyed before narrowing his eyes at Mira, "and why not have a fling?"

Alesan and D'usha rolled their eyes before saying at the same time, "Agamor."

Solitar snorted, "I could bend him into a pretzel too. I'm positive I'm at least taller than him... now."

"It's not about whether or not you could fight him, after how Sofia treated him I promised him to do better than she ever did. Otherwise, I'd consider it." Thinking about her mate's nasty ex-wife made her irritated. Mira may have slept around a little bit, but at least she had some standards. She didn't use sex like a weapon or a tool for blackmailing people, and she had no desire to put herself between other couples.

Alesan patted him on the shoulder, "don't worry, Sol. We'll get you laid... eventually."

Solitar snorted, "they always chose you over me," he grumbled, as he and Alesan started walking for the stairs, "I can't figure out why. I'm so much better looking than you."

Alesan laughed, "yeah right. Maybe it's your award-winning personality."

D'usha rolled his eyes, "we'd better keep up or we'll lose them."

"If they get out of sight I'll be able to track them down now." She tapped the side of her nose lightly. "But yeah, let's go."

* * *

"We're in!" Alesan and Solitar said at the same time after D'usha and Mira explained what they were doing.

D'usha frowned, "nobody asked you," he growled.

"Look, you need to look like you've got money, and what better way than to have a couple of hard-ass bodyguards following you around?" Alesan said, leaning on the table.

"She only has two tickets," D'usha pointed out.

Solitar chuckled, "bodyguards don't need tickets."

"We've done enough work in that field to know what to do. We escort you to the front doors, then go around the back to the servants' entrance where we'll sneak into a position so if things get hairy, we can step in," Alesan said, casually dipping a hunk of bread into the honey butter mixture he had made.

"Ha! You two? Sneak? That's a laugh and a half," D'usha said, leaning back in his seat with his arms folded over his chest.

"I have to say I agree, I've seen you trying to be quiet. D'usha and I have training in stealth and I know the guard routes and floor plans well enough to avoid getting caught. We're more likely to end up in a prison cell with you 'stepping in'..." Mira said with a regretful frown. She wouldn't mind them coming along if there wasn't so much extra risk tied to bringing along more people. This job wasn't all that difficult, but the more people she brought in the more potential issues there could be. "On the other hand, since a bunch of people have disappeared from his house maybe you can stick around the ballroom while we take care of Rodick. See what you can find out from the other guests or servants. _If_ you can keep from making a huge scene while we're working... The last thing I need is my 'bodyguards' causing trouble and drawing attention to my absence."

The two large men look insulted.

"Us?!? Cause trouble!?!" Alesan gasped, putting his hand against his chest.

"Madam! You wound us with your unfair accusations," Solitar said, putting his nose in the air.

D'usha rolled his eyes, chuckling at the two brutes, "this coming from the two the single-handedly brought down a chandelier in our dad's house."

Solitar snorted, "you know, if Agamor had asked nicely instead of poking me with that broom, I would have come down peacefully."

D'usha raised his eyebrow, "would you have, though?"

Solitar chuckled, "okay, I woulda tried to dogpile him, but still."

Mira remembered the aftermath of that little incident with a laugh, but got serious afterward, "Alright it's not that I don't believe you can do this, it's more that these people are going to be exactly the sort to push your buttons. Neither one of you has the best track record in controlling your tempers. I'll leave the decision up to D'usha though, he has to be able to work here again but I can just disappear after the job is done." The assassin lived and worked outside of Cyrodiil and was pretty much an expert at being a fugitive by this point. From her teen years up through her late twenties, she had spent most of her time traveling around avoiding capture by Thalmor after revenge. So escaping being noticed was almost too easy.

Dusha narrowed his eyes at two before smirking, "that's right. It's _MY_ decision."

Solitar and Alesan shared an annoyed glance before Solitar leaned over the table, "don't make us tie you up and toss you into the lake again, D."

"How long did it take for you to get out of the last one? Fifteen hours?" Alesan asked, holding his chin in thought.

D'usha scowled at them, "if I couldn't breathe underwater, you'd be murders."

Solitar and Alesan laughed.

"We're fucking bandits, D. Murder isn't exactly off the table when it comes to some things," Alesan said, his expression going cold for a few seconds before his eyes became warm and smiling again. 

D'usha snorted, "still aren't as badass as Sofia," he muttered into his drink.

Solitar rolled his eyes, "yeah, yeah, yeah. She's always got something to prove."

Rolling her eyes in exasperation, Mira decided she should step up as the oldest person here, "All teasing and fun aside I'm here because some rich prick has been making good people suffer, so I need you to seriously consider how you're going to behave. Keep up the attitudes and I'll overrule whatever D'usha decides and leave you here until we finish our work." She almost never tried to take charge of other people, so when she did she made it perfectly clear that she wasn't messing around, her expression was hard and stern. It really wouldn't be wise to test her patience any further. 

Solitar scowled at her and opened his mouth to say something before Alesan slapped his hand down hard on Solitar's arm, bringing the Altmer's glare to him. He subtly shook his head in warning before leaning over the table.

"Look Mira. You haven't had any kind of contact with Sol and I in years. Despite what's said here and how goofy we're acting, when it comes down to it, Sol and I are all business," he leaned back with his arms over his chest, his expression serious and business-like. She could tell he had matured a lot since the heathen he had been as a kid, "besides that, we're the best you could ask for. That's not bragging, it's the truth. You're family, practically a Dovahkiir yourself, and Dovahkiirs stick together no matter what."

Solitar nodded, his temper upsided for the moment, "anyone else would only have your back as well as you pay..."

D'usha cut him off, "you're not getting paid."

Solitar glared at him, "I wasn't asking for money, was I?" he growled.

"Easy, Sol," Alesan said, ignoring the glare the altmer gave him, "we know you two can handle yourselves, that's not the issue, but we'd feel more comfortable being close at hand should you get into unforeseen trouble."

Solitar nodded, deciding to keep his mouth shut for a change. 

"I was only making a point, and you've made yours very clear too. Neither of you are the same unfocused kids I remember, and your argument makes a lot of sense. I trust you, and I'm inclined to have you come along." She smiled warmly to make it obvious that she had lightened back up. It had gotten tense for a minute and that hadn't been her intention. The fact that they wanted to help and keep everyone safe swayed her opinion a lot.

"You know I love you both right?" Mira said in an overly sweet, dramatic voice. She walked over and gave them big hugs and kisses despite them both protesting.

Solitar made a show of complaining loudly, "UGHHHH! GIRL GERMS!!! YUCK!"

Alesan screwed up his face, "UUUUUUGGGGHHHHH! UNWANTED AFFECTION!! EWWWWWW!"

The men laughed as Mira retook her seat, talking about what they had been up to the last several months, jobs they had done recently, and crap clients that ended up either dead or losing a hell of a lot more than money. After lunch, they decided to explore the shops around Anvil, Solitar, and Alesan needing something bodyguard esque to wear to the party.

"What about this?" Solitar asked, wrinkling his nose at the purple vest.

D'usha glanced at it before smirking, "sure. Get yourself a little monkey with a vest and tiny hat and you'll make a perfect Aladdin," he said, getting a chuckle from Alesan.

Solitar snorted, putting the vest back and rubbing his eyes, "all these colors are giving me a headache. What's wrong with what we're wearing now?"

Alesan rolled his eyes, having found his outfit, "because we look like fucking bandits from Skyrim and we're supposed to look like bodyguards."

Solitar heaved a heavy sigh, "I don't wanna," he complained, roughly shifting through the clothes hanging.

"Ugh alright, just let me do it then," Mira said with amusement. She efficiently picked through the selection and came back in just a minute with a green long-sleeved shirt and a black leather vest and matching pants. "If you ever do this again try to focus on solid, darker colors, and if you don't like these you're on your own." She passed them over to Sol, pretty sure they would fit. "That's everybody's clothes taken care of right?" 

Solitar frowned, holding up the green shirt before holding it out to her, "I don't like green. Green's mom's color. I like purple. Do they have it in purple? I like purple."

Alesan sighed and shook his head, "this is why I never take you shopping," he grumbled, heading for the shop keeper behind the counter to pay for his outfit.

D'usha sighed as well, rolling his eyes, "geez, and a lot of people call me immature," he muttered under his breath.

"If you want a purple shirt then find one, just keep the rest if you think it will fit. Or not I really don't care." Mira said irritably. Walking out of the shop growling about picky men who couldn't do anything by themselves.

Solitar blinked after her before looking at his brothers, "what'd I do?"

D'usha and Alesan sighed and shook their heads at his obliviousness.

* * *

She took a seat on a nearby stone wall to wait for the boys. People watching and eating a few pieces of dried fruit from her hip pouch, even while she was relaxing she kept alert for trouble. Right now there was nothing to worry about but after being followed yesterday it was better to be safe than sorry. She still had no idea what sort of problem those sailors could have had.

"Hey, pretty lady," a semi-drunk seeming man slurred as he took a seat next to her on the wall, sitting uncomfortably close to the woman, "what's a pretty little thing like you doing here by yurself?"

She gave the man a sidelong glance and sneered in disgust thinking 'ugh, not another one...' It was embarrassing for these types to even try hitting on a clearly sober woman in broad daylight. With a heavy sigh, she decided to answer him. "I'm waiting for my friends to finish their shopping, not that it's any of your business. Now move along, I'm not interested in your company." Mira reverted back to her old way of dealing with strangers, turning cold and indifferent. Clearly the drunkard didn't like her attitude, but she really didn't care. It probably wouldn't take much to get rid of him.

"That isn't very nice, girl. I was just trying to be friendly." He got up and stood over her trying to be intimidating.

"And I told you in the friendliest way I know how to leave. I'm not going to be so nice if you make me ask again." She glared up at him as he stayed in her personal space. When Mira didn't get scared and back down it pissed him off and he slapped her, snapping her head to the side and leaving a red handprint on her cheek. The elf's eyes opened and she slowly turned her face back toward the thug, licking a little of her blood from the corner of her mouth.

"You really shouldn't have done that buddy...." She snarled, with her eyes glowing green and her fangs bared. A few seconds later a loud commotion could be heard from outside the clothing shop. Mira had slammed the jerk into the wall by his throat and was holding a dagger to his groin. "The next time a woman tells you to walk away, you fucking do it! I swear if I wasn't trying to have a nice day with old friends I'd castrate you..."

The man looked worried before he glanced behind her, giving her a cocky smirk.

"I'd lower that dagger if I were you, lass," a deep voice growled from behind her. 

"Oh...? Well, what if I'm really not interested in what you'd do in my position?" Mira said as she glanced behind her at the group of men. She kept up the pressure on the man she held since that was her only advantage for the moment. There were too many of them to fight on her own, and she couldn't transform within city limits in broad daylight. It was either bluff her way out or hold on until the others came outside.

"I think I'll keep my blade right where it is until you tell me what this is about. Come any closer and your friend is going to lose parts." She made her point clear by tightening her grip on the drunk's throat until his face turned red. He coughed harshly as she eased up, and Mira made sure to keep one eye on him while she watched the men behind her.

The Redguard narrowed his eyes at her before nodding at the shop, "the argonian is a friend of yours, yes? That bastard ran off with my sister and all I want is for him to return her safely back into my care," the man said, his voice pleasant if not a little agitated. His expression was cold with a plastic smile, "if you could maybe convince your... friend to give her back, I'll forgive his debt to me and stop sending my men after him."

"Somehow I doubt that's what really happened. If anything he helped her get away from you. But sure I'll mention your story to him. Now I really suggest you let me get back to him because if he comes out here and sees this I doubt you'll enjoy the outcome." Remaining calm she stepped back away from the one she held against the wall. She kept her guard up in case any of them tried anything, it wouldn't surprise her at all. 

D'usha, who had seen the men approach through the open door of the shop, leaned against the doorframe with a smirk as Alesan and Solitar moved past him and out around behind the group of men, taking positions behind the redguard's men.

The Redguard laughed, along with the group of men at his back, as if she had said something outlandish, "as if that coward would do anything to me with my men at my back."

D'usha's laugh stopped their laughter instantly, "I'm a coward, am I? That's funny coming from a guy that has to have half an army at his back to do anything."

The redguard scowled at him before pointing at him, "get him, men!"

Instantly, four of the six behind him collapsed to the ground, leaving two at his back. He and the two remaining men turned, their eyes going wide at the sight of Solitar and Alesan, who were grinning at them like daedra.

"Who in oblivion are you?" the redguard asked, glaring at them.

"Oh them? They're my brothers," D'usha said with a shrug, "you probably know them as Bruniiksos, or in English, the Savage Bloods."

The redguard's eyes went wide for a second before he looked at D'usha with a disbelieving glare, "that's impossible. Those bandits are in Hammerfell. My cousin works closely with them."

Alesan and Solitar exchanged a glance before laughing.

"You hear that, Sol? This guy's cousin works closely with us," Alesan said between chuckles.

"Now, was that the guy we threw off a cliff to a pack of crocodiles or the one we tied to a tree and left to dehydrate to death?" Solitar asked, smirking at the redguard's wide eyes.

"You... You're..." the redguard stumbled back a step, "by the gods, you can't be here!"

Alesan smirked at him, "this the guy that you told us about when we took that girl, D?"

D'usha nodded.

Solitar glared at the man, "what kind of piece of shit rapes his own sister? I mean, we're not the nicest people around and even we think that's fucked up."

Alesan nodded in agreement, "so, how would you like your death? Quick and painless? Long, drawn-out, and brutal?"

"I've got it," Solitar purred, giving the man a psychotic grin, "let's do to him what he did to his sister?"

"Which part?" Alesan asked with a raised eyebrow.

Solitar shrugged, his expression cold as he grinned at the redguard, "all of it."

The redguard's face drained of color as he shook his head, "wait! No please. I can pay you whatever you want!"

Alesan snorted, "we're bandits, not sell-outs."

Solitar lunged at the men, sending them into a panicked, stumbling mess as they took off running, leaving Alesan and Solitar laughing. "That never gets old," Solitar sighed, looking at Mira, "you alright, doll?"

"I'm just fine, thanks. I would have handled them myself but civilians don't like seeing people getting eaten, so I thought I'd wait. I knew the bastard was lying..." Mira had a pretty harsh opinion on people who could force themselves on another person. Actually she wanted to go after them but she wouldn't because she'd rather just stay with the boys and have fun. "I also knew that they couldn't be after me. I've done nothing to piss anybody off since I got here," she chuckled. "Dovah like to handle their own business anyway."

Alesan and Solitar high five and, noticing a couple of girls looking their way, started doing some flexing.

D'usha rolled his eyes before smirking, "how about a little wager, my dearest brothers."

Alesan stopped, giving D'usha a raised eyebrow, " _dearest_ brothers?"

D'usha grinned, moving up between the two to wrap his arms around their shoulders... as best he could, anyway, "let's have a competition. Whoever can get the most girls addresses gets three thousand gold from the others."

Solitar snorted, "you don't have that kind of money."

D'usha grinned, "o contrair, mon frair. I have more than enough jewelry and gold to pay that a couple of times over. So, whaddya say?"

Solitar and Alesan gave one another a glance before nodding, "we're in."

"Wait. What about Aunt Mira?" Solitar asked, glancing at the small woman.

"Pssh, she can watch," D'usha said, dismissing his brother's concerns. 

"Well that's one way to pass the time, go ahead. I'll tag along from a distance. I wouldn't want to ruin your chances making the girls think you already have a... Friend." She said with a smirk, this was sure to be entertaining one way or another. Her bet would be on Sol losing, he was handsome but he just didn't have the same smooth charm that D'usha and Alesan had. As they wandered around the city chatting up women with various levels of success Mira used her high stealth skills to watch without getting in the way.

Solitar scowled at the woman walking away from him, lifting his fist in the air as he shouted at her, "who needs you anyway, you dumb bitch!"

"Way to talk to a girl, Sol," D'usha muttered, stuffing another piece of parchment with an address in his satchel before blowing the giggling girls a kiss, sending them into another round of giggles. 

"Yeah, yeah," Solitar grumbled, glancing around, "Hey, where's Al?"

D'usha glanced around as well, furrowing his brows and scratching his head, "last I saw him, he was over there," he said, pointing at a storefront, "talking to one of the girls that work there."

Mira appeared beside them almost out of nowhere, startling them since they were distracted, "Solitar, honey... If you take a little extra time to compliment the girls you'll have better luck. Look for something you like about them and tell them in a non-creepy way. Like 'excuse me miss, but I couldn't help but notice your lovely smile.' I can guarantee it will help." No wonder he was so grouchy, if that's how he talked to women he must not have gotten laid in a while. Poor kid. "As for Alesan, there hasn't been any sign of trouble so I'm sure he's fine, but I don't like the fact that he's out of sight so soon after those idiots outside the shop. It's probably nothing but we should find him just in case. He probably decided to take one of the girls home." She muttered with a thoughtful look.

D'usha nodded, "true. Qamar called me a coward but he'll take a chance to take out Sol or Al given the chance," he said, nodding toward the storefront, "let's check there first. Ask Nolontar if he's seen Al or not."

"Good idea," Solitar said, taking the lead.

They entered the shop, getting a smiling greeting from the altmer standing beside one of the mannequins. "Welcome to Coastal Clothiers and Fabrics! Can I help you find anything?"

"Yeah, we're looking for our brother. A redguard about as tall as Solitar here," D'usha said, smacking Solitar's stomach with the back of his hand.

The tailor's smile turned into a frown as he nodded toward a closed door at the other end of the room, "Elneri took him to the back to show him her... 'special stock'," the altmer growled bitterly, going back to measuring the arm of the mannequin. 

Solitar's eyes went wide, catching on to the innuendo, "what!?! No, that's not fair!" he complained, furrowing his brows as he looked at D'usha, "he still has to get her address."

D'usha sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "yeah," he grumbled.

"As long as he isn't getting killed back there, I don't care. Your bet wasn't about getting laid so if he doesn't get the address it's just a bonus for him." The bosmer shrugged casually, and then her eyes widened slightly at hearing them in the back room. "Okay, enough of that! I'm gonna go now..." With that, she walked out of the shop quickly. 

* * *

They stopped by one of the food stalls, getting a cool drink and something to eat before settling under a tree. D'usha stared down at the mutton in his lap, looking like someone kicked his puppy while Solitar scarfed down his lunch.

While she was sipping her drink Mira studied the argonians face. Something was up because it wasn't very often that he looked so glum. Being the sort of person who didn't like to see people feeling down she just had to ask what was going on. "Alright D. What has you looking like you got banned from your favorite bar?" 

He heaved a heavy sigh, falling back in the dry grass, "it's not fair. The only one who's supposed to have more game than me is Mar, not one of the bash brothers."

"That's all? D'usha you weren't even trying to get laid right now... One conquest doesn't mean he has more game than you anyway." She rolled her eyes at him. Honestly, she should have known it would be something like that. Like D'usha would have had anything serious to be upset about right now... " I bet I could get more addresses than all of you combined if I joined in, but that's not exactly fair. It's too easy as a woman, all I have to do is show a little skin and boom! They're hooked." Mira laughed, running a hand over the curves of her waist and hips.

Solitar stopped eating, his eyes following her hand before he cleared his throat, wiping the juices of his meal from his mouth, "you know. I don't get upset when you or any of the others are better than me at stuff," he said, leaning back on his hands as he looked up at the clouds, "mom told me once that if every cloud in the sky was the same, then the birds would never know where to go," he shrugged, "then Taliesin had to explain it because I still don't get it, years later. He said that if I was just like all my siblings, then there wouldn't be anything special about me and that I should find what makes me special instead of trying so hard to be like everyone else. That's when I started working on my earth style of magic." As he said this, he lifted his hand, rocks floating up from the ground to engulf his hand in hard stone before falling back to the ground, "I don't use it as often as I use to as a kid, but I still have it just in case," he looked at D'usha with a smile, "so, you shouldn't be sad that Alesan's a much better talker than you are when it comes to girls. He's a much better talker than most everyone, Mar included."

D'usha sighed, watching the clouds float through the sky, "why does mom have to say stuff all poetic and shit."

"I don't know, but it's a good thing we traveled with other people that could explain some of it."

She smiled gently at that. Mira had been an only child until being adopted into the circus family, but it was different when you actually grew up with your siblings. She hadn't found her chosen family until she was eighteen. "You know Taliesin is the one who taught me earth magic too and helped me get over my lightning spell phobia. Gods those were hard lessons!" She frowned as she remembered how rough it had been to work through that crippling fear. Taliesin had ended up bleeding a few times when she got overwhelmed. A thought that still caused a small twinge of guilt for her. 

D'usha nodded, "he's a good man and a good teacher," he said, putting his hands behind his head, "if mom wasn't with dad, I half hoped she'd get with either him or Uncle Rio, but, I'm glad her and dad found each other. They were both a mess without someone to help hold them up."

"Gods those were rough times," Solitar sighed, "it took way too much work to get those two together."

D'usha sighed, "yeah it did. Stubborn Dragonborn. Couldn't just tell each other their feelings. Stupid."

"Then want us to express our feelings," Solitar scoffed, finishing his meal.

"Because they know how much harder things are if you don't. Personally I've always been open about that, it's a lot less complicated that way. I mean I've never been happier since I admitted my feelings for Agamor, even though we got our start a little strangely and moved faster than most." Mira flushed happily as she thought about the early days of her relationship. Her Nord mate had been there for her through the loss of her father and her worst enemies coming back to haunt her again. "That might just be the beast blood, mine never saw the point in waiting for things we wanted. She's pretty vocal about it... And babies..." She said with a little frown, it was one of the few things that she didn't agree with the beast on.

 _'I still don't see why you haven't let the male breed you yet....'_ The predator hissed.

' _Shut up, I told you that I'm not having babies while I do this kind of work!'_ Mira thought angrily back.

 _'Then quit, you know how to do other things.'_ It whispered back and then fell silent again. 

"Yeah, it can be a pain in the ass," D'usha muttered, staring at the sky.

A few moments later, Alesan met up with them with a content smile, only for it to disappear when his brothers glared at him, "what?"

"You get her address?" Solitar asked, hoping he hadn't.

Alesan smirked, holding up a piece of paper between his middle and pointer finger, "and a bed for the night."

The other two men groaned, looking defeated before Solitar piped up.

"I call Mira as a wingman," he practically shouted.

"Why do _you_ get a wingman?" D'usha asked, narrowing his eyes at the larger man.

"Because I suck at talking to girls."

"It's not the talking you have a problem with, Sol. It's the charm," Alesan said, giving his brother a sympathetic smile, "you need to work on that."

Solitar huffed, "which is why I should get a handicap and I call Mira as my handicap wingman person lady."

Alesan and D'usha exchanged a glance before agreeing with a chuckle.

"Talking is definitely part of the problem. That was barely a sentence. You definitely need some help." This was going to be a challenge... But she was willing to try. She pulled the altmer aside to give him a little coaching.

"Firstly, there's obviously a reason why you are walking up to talk to a woman, so figure out your approach beforehand. Right now I know you're just doing this for a bet, but that's _not_ going to get results if you mention it. You'll probably get slapped actually" She was keeping it simple for him. "To practice, what would you say if you wanted my attention?"

"Uuuhhh. Yo, Mira?" he made it a question, not sure what she meant.

She heaved a loud sigh, slapping her hand to her forehead. She was going to have to make this reeeally easy. "No, I meant... If you were trying to get me to take you back to my place, what would you say? Once again, bring up something you like about me physically. Try not to sound like a perv... For example, no one wants a stranger to come up and say 'nice tits' out of nowhere. Get it?" Gods she hoped he did, or this was going to be nearly impossible...

He furrowed his brows at her, narrowing his eyes as he studied her for a few minutes before thinking, _what would Alesan or Mar say?_ He took a deep breath and nodded, stepping forward, "your hair reminds me of a blade, shiny." Mira frowned thoughtfully, that was at least an improvement and strangely sweet but,

"Better, but it wouldn't work on most women. Instead of a weapon, compare it to something a woman would find pretty. For my hair that would be silver or snow. It works the same for skin and eyes." She smiled gently at him, taking her time to make sure he understood. "I'm going to try something." Mira stepped closer to him and spoke in a smooth purr,

"Excuse me? I just wanted to say that your eyes are really nice, they remind me of gemstones. Maybe you'd like to have dinner together sometime so I can get a closer look?" Then she stepped back and relaxed her posture, turning the sultry attitude down. "See the difference?"

Solitar stared at her with a mixture of enthrallment and shock, "uh... sure?"

After watching the scene of Solitar failing hard, Alesan sighed, plucking a flower from the tree before walking toward them, clearing his throat as he did, drawing Solitar and Mira's attention to him, "excuse me, miss. I saw this flower and thought you would like it, but I should apologize. You see, now that I'm close enough to see your beauty, I can't help but feel that giving you such a flower is an insult and..." he paused, his eyes going wide, slightly, "apologies miss but, your eyes.. they remind me of the skies in my homeland, Skyrim. Beautiful and enchanting. I could stare into them for all eternity."

Solitar stared at him, wrinkling his nose at the words before glancing at Mira.

"Maybe a little over the top for my tastes, but wow! Kudos Al..." Mira looked surprised, no wonder he was doing so well with women. "It's not Sol's style at all though, I was trying to make it a little easier to start out with. If he practices for awhile he might get to that level." If she hadn't known Alesan was just making a point that would have worked on her in spite of her denying it, that was seriously smooth... She had to admit it, even if she didn't really want to. "Okay, I lied. I'd have gone for that in a second of you were serious."

Alesan shrugged, giving her a charming smile, "what if I am?" he asked, offering the flower.

"O-oh, um thank you." She took the flower from his hand cursing her pale complexion for showing her blush so clearly. Alesan chuckled at her reaction and she scowled at him. Her inner beast purred quietly at her _'why don't you take him up on it? A young virile male is always fun.'_ Mira closed her eyes and growled back, _'Because our mate is waiting at home and I don't want a one night stand to ruin the best thing in my life. If he wanted more then maybe, but he doesn't so knock it off!'_ With the amount of chatter she was getting from in her head Mira was half worried she might go into heat, but since there were none of the other signs she dismissed the idea. 

Solitar gave him a shove, "what the hell, man!"

Alesan frowned at him, "what?"

"She's my wingman, not your damned conquest," Solitar growled, glaring at his brother.

Alesan sighed and rolled his eyes, "she's not my conquest. Unlike you and D'usha, I actually care if the women I bed are in a relationship or not," he growled back, poking Solitar in the chest, "so you can go fuck yourself since you're never going to fuck anyone else."

Solitar let loose a loud roar, tackling Alesan and sending the two to the ground in a flurry of fists.

D'usha sighed, watching the two roll around in the dirt as they punched, kicked, and bit one another, "really, guys? Come on. It's just a competition."

Mira groaned and then whistled sharply to get their attention. When the pair didn't stop fighting she huffed and called up a bit of earth magic to knock them apart and hold them back, "Alright that's enough! Solitar I was just flattered by the compliment, it doesn't mean I was going to stop helping you. Alesan that was really uncalled for and mean. Now will both of you, knock it off! Please?" 

Solitar huffed, glaring at Alesan, "bastard started it," he growled.

Alesan stuck his tongue out at Solitar.

"Real mature, but what can you expect from idiots," a smooth voice purred from behind Mira.

The two looked at the man, Solitar giving him a glare while Alesan suddenly looked tired.

"Oh, hey Zarain." She said before turning her attention back to the others. "I can't believe you two are making me pull out a 'mom line' but I really don't give a damn who started it, you're finished. If I let you go and you start fighting again I'll ground you." She couldn't keep a straight face once that left her mouth. Mira dropped the spell and burst into a fit of giggles when she thought of sending two grown men to stay in their rooms. There was no way they'd actually listen to her but it was still funny.

Zarain frowned, "give me the brush off then treat my idiot brothers like your children. I'm already loving the reunion," the dunmer muttered, sarcasm dripping from his words as he rolled his eyes. 

"Oh, I'm sorry your highness, I didn't mean to offend by not offering your royal ass my full attention." She broke off in another snicker before continuing, "Really though it is good to see you."

"What's up, Z?" D'usha asked, getting a glare from the grumpy man.

"I had to pick up some ingredients from the wilderness around the coast near here and thought I'd stop by a couple of shops to pick up a few things for some experiments I'm doing," Zarain said, pulling something from his satchel and holding it out to Alesan, "hold this."

Alesan narrowed his eyes at Zarain's hand before pulling out his phone and pressing one of the numbers, glaring at his brother, "I have our mother on speed dial. If this is another of your experiments, I'm telling mom."

Zarain glared back, "I'm not trying to experiment on you, I just need you to hold this so I can check my backpack for something," he growled, rolling his eyes as Alesan cautiously took the small pouch, still holding his phone at the ready, "honestly. If I was going to experiment on you, I wouldn't tell you."

"Exactly," Alesan muttered, holding the thing out at arm's length, away from him, just in case the damned thing blew up or something. 

"Can you blame him for not trusting you? Using your siblings as lab rats can have that effect." Mira asked as Zarain searched his pack for whatever it was that he wanted. She probably would have been cautious if he just handed her an unknown object out of the blue. You never knew exactly what the intelligent dark elf intended...

"What's the point of having almost 20 siblings if I can't experiment on a few?" he asked absently, pulling a large book out of his pack and holding it out to Mira, "don't worry, it's not booby-trapped. Uncle Agamor caught me before I left the palace and asked me to give it to you. He even paid me a courier's fee to keep me from complaining."

"You still complained though, didn't you?" D'usha asked, smirking at his brother.

"Of course. I wouldn't be me if I didn't," Zarain said, smirking back as he stood.

"I have no siblings so I don't know. I like to read but why would he send me a book?" She asked curiously as she took the heavy object out of his hands. She hadn't been in contact with home for a little while so she wasn't expecting any deliveries. Still, this was a nice surprise, the book was a catalog of plants from Misty's world and Mira leafed through the pages with great interest. "This is really interesting, I haven't heard of half of the things in here. Maybe I can get some of them for my potions?" She mused until an envelope fell out of the middle of the book and she fumbled to catch it. "Whoops. I'll have to read both of these more closely when we go back to the house. Thanks for dropping them off Zarain, I appreciate you going to all that trouble." Mira said mostly sincerely. She was grateful for the favor, but it wasn't like he had to go out of his way to do it.

Zarain snorted, taking back the small pouch from Alesan and slipping it into one of the many pockets on a vest he wore, "yeah, yeah. Just remind your boyfriend that he owes me some Ash Spawn ash and some fire salts next time I'm home," he muttered, running his hand through his wild, wavy black hair as he turned his crimson gaze on Solitar, "and as for your... attempt at flirting, just think of the most sickeningly sweet, cringy romantic thing you can think of and say it out loud."

"Pfft, like you're one to talk," D'usha scoffed, folding his arms over his chest.

Zarain rolled his eyes, "I have nothing to prove to you morons," he said, waving his hand across in front of him.

"Yeah huh," Alesan said, still holding the phone in his hand, but not at the ready to dial out, "none of us believe a prickly thing like you has any kind of charm."

Zarain narrowed his eyes at the large redguard, "I'm smarter than you."

"That doesn't prove anything," Alesan pointed out.

"Not smarter than Ma'rahka," Solitar said with a smirk, folding his large arms over his broad chest. It had become apparent early on, when they were children, that Zarain _hated_ it when someone was smarter than him and hated it, even more, when someone else pointed it out.

Zarain glared at the large altmer, scowling at him as electricity crackled on his fingertips, "Ma'rahka is _not_ smarter than me."

D'usha smirked, tapping his finger against his mouth, "no. No, I'm pretty sure he is."

Zarain threw out his hand, hitting D'usha in the chest with a bolt of lightning that sent him flying back into a tree with a grunt, " _not_ smarter than _me_."

"Easy, Zarain. We're just fucking around," Alesan said, frowning at him.

"That's why nobody likes you," D'usha coughed, sitting up with a groan.

Zarain snorted, "I don't care."

Mira had mostly gotten over her fear of lightning, so she no longer panicked but she still shivered in distaste and wrinkled her nose. "Can you at least try not to break any of your brothers while they're helping me stop a murderous pervert?" She snapped as she walked over and pulled D'usha to his feet and checked him for injuries. There was nothing more than some bruising that she healed quickly. This was just how it went with the Dovahkiir clan, so she saw no point in losing her temper over it. With a shrug, the bosmer walked back over to Solitar, "So... I'm sure you get at least the gist of picking up girls. If you three want to continue this little competition I'm game, if not you guys are tiring me out and I could use a nap."

"Try living with them most of your life," Zarain muttered, pulling his backpack on. He had a point, she had only been around them since her mid-twenties.

"I bet I'd get it even more if Zarain showed me how," Solitar said, trying and failing to get Zarain involved.

"Not on your life," Zarain growled, starting for one of the shops.

"Yeah, he's probably lying about being able to pick up a girl," Alesan said, shrugging, "oh well."

Zarain stopped in his tracks, looking up at the sky as if asking why me, before turning halfway back to them with narrowed eyes, "if I prove that I can, will you idiots stop pestering me?" The two nodded as Zarain sighed again, rubbing his forehead, "fine. I'll use Mira since she's closest." He shoved his pack into Alesan's chest, "don't drop it."

Alesan's eyes went wide for a second as he slowly nodded and Zarain walked up to Mira. He still looked annoyed and agitated but that was just Zarain. He sighed and rolled his eyes, closing his eyes as he rolled his head around his shoulders. Mira was just as surprised at the idea, apparently, she was just gonna be everyone's guinea pig today... Which was kind of annoying.

"You've really gotta work yourself up to be charming?" D'usha asked with a chuckle.

Zarain shot him a glare, "shush! It's easier with a girl you don't know."

Alesan smirked, "I didn't have a problem with it," he said, giving Mira a wink.

Zarain snorted, "yes, well, some of us don't make a career out of bed-hopping."

"It's more of a hobby, really," D'usha said, bumping fists with Alesan.

Zarain rolled his eyes before looking back at Mira with his arms folded over his chest, "if I can guess your favorite color, I get a kiss. A real kiss, not a damned cheek peck. I'm not a child."

"I'm not sure how guessing my favorite color is gonna count as 'picking me up' but you have a deal." She stood with her arms crossed and waited to see exactly how this would work out. It was sort of odd to think that Zarain of all people would want to kiss her. Maybe he just thought it wouldn't be worth the effort if he didn't get something out of it? Mira wouldn't make a fool out of herself by assuming it was anything more than that.

He stared at her for a few moments, studying to the point that she started to get uncomfortable before he nodded, "purple," he said simply.

Her arms dropped down to her sides and her lips parted in surprise before she nervously played with her necklace. "Ah yeah, that's... Uhh, that's right." She shifted her gaze just about everywhere that meant she wouldn't be looking at Zarain. Then she sighed and made eye contact with an awkward half-smile. "Well you won your kiss, come get it."

"How the hell did you know that?" Solitar asked, giving Zarain a skeptical look.

Zarain smirked at him, "you'd hear a lot more if you shut your mouth and just listened," he said, looking back at Mira, "I don't want the kiss. You need to work on your negotiation skills instead of just going along with what these morons ask you to do." He moved to Alesan, taking his backpack back and pulling it on, "as for the charming thing, all you really need is a smile and a few nice words. For example..." he paused, looking around at the women standing in the marketplace before pointing at a younger woman who looked a little beaten down, "she could use a few nice words and a smile from a good looking guy. And that woman," he pointed at an older imperial woman who was scowling at another woman that was helping her pick out some clothing, "she would go for a guy that's rough and doesn't take any crap. She'll try to argue with you at first but just ignore her and but extremely blunt with your words," he looked up at Solitar, "there's a lot you can learn about a woman just by watching her. The way she moves, how straight she stands, how she speaks. You've got to learn how to recognize her needs and alter your personality to fill that need. Another example is the woman serving the stuck up noble. She would be easier to woo just by offering to help her a little, but she wouldn't go for a one night stand."

"That doesn't explain how you knew Aunt Mira's favorite color," Alesan said, getting annoyed at Zarain's over-explanation.

Zarain rolled his eyes, "I over-heard Agamor asking Mother about a gift for Mira and he may have mentioned something about her favorite color," he said with a shrug, "as I said, you can hear a lot if you shut your mouth."

"Hm alright then, if you don't want it." She shrugged. "My negotiating skills are fine, I just don't mind doing what my friends ask me if I have time to. Unlike some people, I don't need a reason to help out." That was just how she was, no need for a reason or a reward if she could help a loved one she would do it happily

Zarain rolled his eyes, "suit yourself, but Solitar was hoping to use your helping him out as a way to get into your bed."

Solitar's eyes went wide as red crept up his neck and into his cheeks, "I-I was not!"

Zarain narrowed his eyes at the altmer, "you're a damned liar and a bad one," he said, looking back at Mira, "he plays stupid well enough, and he knows that a lot of girls go for the dumb, adorable type, and you played right into his hands. See, unlike Alesan, or D'usha, or even me, Sol picks a girl and will spend the better portion of the day doing his version of wooing, which is acting like an idiot and being clumsy about things. Ask Al, if you don't believe me. Anyway, I have some shopping to do before I head home. Have fun," he said, waving over his shoulder as he walked into the marketplace.

Looking knowingly at the brawny altmer Mira just smiled. "Sol honey there's no shame if that's what you were after, but unless you're looking for a commitment it isn't gonna happen handsome." When she really thought about it any of the Dovahkiir brothers would make a fine partner, they'd all grown into good men thanks to the crowd of people who had helped raise them. There was no way she'd break her word to Agamor but she was sure it would be fun if she were single.

Solitar blushed, rubbing the back of his neck and not making eye contact with anyone.

"I knew you weren't as stupid as you pretended to be," D'usha muttered, narrowing his eyes at the taller man.

"I mean, it's good to focus on one girl, but Sol, we're having a competition. You need to drop the act of being a complete idiot and just do you," Alesan said, holding the phone out toward him, "you want me to call Uncle Tal to give you a pep talk, or mom?"

Solitar seemed to think about that for a moment before sighing and shaking his head, "no... I'll just start playing the game."

They agreed to be fair and started back with the competition, only...

"GET OUT OF MY SHOP!!" the woman behind the counter screamed, sending Alesan scrambling out the door with a pot flying right behind him.

"What the hell was that about?" Solitar asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know," Alesan said, pulling a piece of straw from his hair. He had been smacked over the head with a broom when he tried charming the girl tending the store.

They glanced at D'usha as he gave a girl a bow and a smile, only to get a drink thrown in his face before she and her friends stormed off with their noses in the air. Mira watched these scenes happening with amusement. Something had definitely changed, the girls had been swooning left and right before... Then she realized this had only started after Zarain left to go shopping! 

"I'm pretty sure I know what's up. Do you think Z would have ruined your game? Because you were doing fine before." She said with a frown.

Solitar scowled, "little twerp."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Alesan grumbled, brushing some pottery dust from his shoulder as D'usha made his way back to them, drying his face off with his tunic.

"What the fuck, man," he growled, looking around the marketplace, "usually they wait until I ask to fuck 'em before they throw a drink in my face. I couldn't even get past the 'how are you today, beautiful'."

"We think Zarain had something to do with this," Solitar said, running his hand through his mohawk.

D'usha's eye twitched as he frowned, "that's it. This time, I'm actually going to kill him. Fuck with my game like that, I'll fuck him up so bad his own goddamned mother won't recognize him," he snarled, drawing his blade as if Zarain were standing right there.

"Easy, D'usha," Alesan said, looking annoyed as well, but keeping his temper far better than the other two, "he's probably long gone, by now, and even if you could get your claws into him, he'd probably imbed something in your skin or just blow himself up or something. Psychotic Dunmer."

"We may as well head back to your place since it's pointless to try anymore flirting. If we stop by my camp first I have some fresh fruit, so I can make us all a treat and we can chill for a while. I still have to make adjustments to that dress I bought. It's too long," she said, getting a nod from the three men.

They headed toward the outskirts of town and into a grove of trees where she had her tent set up, quickly packing everything away and pulling her bag over her shoulders.

* * *

Back at D'usha's hideout, Mira bustled around his small kitchen making strawberry and black currant tarts. It was nice to cook in an actual kitchen after days of campfire food and she hummed happily while she worked. Setting the tarts in the oven the bosmer then set to work cleaning the dishes and counters. Once that was done she plopped down in a chair near Alesan and sighed. "Those are going to be good." 

"They smell good," Alesan said, glancing toward the screened off bathing area as Solitar came out with a towel wrapped around his narrow waist, drying his hair with another towel. Alesan got up, passing his brother and heading into the bathing area to take a shower himself.

Solitar sighed, stretching his large muscled arms across his chest and stretching his sides, flexing a couple of muscles as he did, "Gods it's been a while since I've had an actual shower," he said, taking a seat on the chair next to Mira, "what's for eats?"

"There are mixed berry tarts in the oven, but I don't know what D'usha has planned for dinner. It won't be too long until the sweets are ready to eat." She was a little distracted by the half-naked high elf sitting beside her, the boys' near-constant flirting made focusing harder than usual. Shaking her head she pulled the botany book back out of her bag to entertain herself while the food cooked, and then remembered the letter too.

"What's it say?" Solitar asked, making a fresh pot of coffee.

"Just vague threats to Zarain if he didn't deliver the book to me, and of course he said he loves and misses me," Mira said with a soft smile, folding the letter carefully and put in the pages of her journal. Gods knew she missed him too, as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder. She'd found it to be pretty true, whenever she traveled for work she always wanted to hurry home to her love. Mira wrote a letter to drop off with a courier in the morning.

'Agamor,

I love the book, so thank you both my love. The job is going well, D'usha, Alesan, and Solitar are helping me. Mainly D'usha since my target has a fetish for argonians. It shouldn't be much longer before I can come home, and we are all staying as safe as we can.

All my love, Mira.'

The shower turning off announced the end of Alesan's shower a few moments before he walked around the screens with a towel around his neck, "D'usha! You cooking something for dinner or you want one of us to cook something?" Alesan called toward the door that led out into the workout area.

"Uh... Yeah, go ahead and make something. I've got Venison in the fridge and vegetables in the crisper," D'usha's voice called back, sounding a little winded and strained.

Alesan went to the fridge, pulling out the venison and several vegetables, handing them off to Solitar who, in turn, set everything on the counter before pouring himself a cup of coffee. 

"Want some, Mira? Al?" Solitar offered, pulling the milk and creamer from the fridge as Alesan was reaching up to pull down a couple of pans from a rack hanging over the middle counter, stretching his torso out to give a nice view of his abs.

"Yeah, pour me a cup," Alesan said, setting the pans on the counter before rummaging through the cabinets for spices and herbs.

"Hmm? Sorry, I was distracted, I'll take a little coffee. Too much makes me hyper. I don't need to be bouncing off the walls." Good gods did they need to wander around in just towels? She wasn't really going to complain about such a nice view but it was sort of a test of will power. At least that was something she had in spades. Mira was also curious about what D'usha was up to that made him sound so... Out of breath? Instead of drooling over attractive young men she got up and checked her desserts, pulling them out to cool and drizzling honey over them.

"Mmm, that smells delicious," Alesan said near her ear, leaning over her to watch her drizzle the honey.

Solitar set a cup down, filled halfway up with coffee, leaning on the counter next to where she was working as he watched, "looks good," he said, reaching for one of the tarts.

"Thanks, I- oh jeez when did you get so close?" She yelped as she turned to see him right over her shoulder. "Wait Solitar those are still really hot!" But it was too late, like a typical male he was already eating the food. She laughed as he panted around the hot pastry. "I would have given those at least ten more minutes." 

"Ish hawt," he garbled around the hot treat.

"Of course it's hot, idiot," Alesan said, rolling his eyes as he pulled some plates down from the cabinet above Mira's head, his stomach brushing against her arm for a few seconds before he moved away to the middle counter. She shivered slightly and made a tiny pleased sound.

Solitar swallowed it, taking a drink of his warm coffee to cool his tongue down before reaching for another one, "but they're really good."

Alesan shook his head, tossing a wooden spoon at Solitar, hitting the man in the side with a smack.

"AH!" Solitar exclaimed, giving Alesan a glare.

"Stop before you burn yourself more," Alesan said, turning the stove on and putting some oil in a pan.

"Not the boss of me," Solitar grumbled under his breath, quickly snagging another one and shoving it into his mouth with a whimper, " _haaawwwwtttt."_

"They're better when they aren't burning the crap out of you and you can actually taste them you know." Mira swatted his hand when he reached for a third one. She wondered if Alesan was doing this on purpose? If the trio kept this up then Agamor would be in for a _very_ happy reunion when she got home. They were really riling her up. Thank god the party was tomorrow! She wouldn't be able to handle much more than that without misbehaving somehow. 

D'usha came in from the workout area, wiping the sweat from his forehead and snout as Alesan scooped some of the vegetables into the frypan, "mmm, something smells good."

"Aunt Mira made tarts," Alesan said, giving Solitar a frown as he tried to reach for another one and Mira smacked his hand, "really?"

Solitar stuck his tongue out at his brother, retreating to the other side of the middle counter and taking a seat on one of the chairs. "How many reps you do, little brother?" 

D'usha smirked, "about a hundred thirty-five." Alesan and Solitar chuckled, making him frown, "what? How many can you do?" Alesan and Solitar gave him amused expressions before his frown deepened, "nevermind. Dicks." He quickly made his way to the bathing area, leaving the two to chuckle at his embarrassing retreat. 

"Anyway, I'm going to get on some pants. Can you watch this for me, Aunt Mira?" Alesan asked, stepping away from the stove and dumping the vegetables out on one of the plates, "the venison just needs to go into the pan. I cut 'em into steaks so that's what we're having for dinner."

"Sure Al." Letting out a small relieved sigh, she set the steaks into the pan to cook while he at least put on more than a towel. One down, one to go. Hopefully, D'usha wouldn't pull the same act, of course, Mira had no illusions that her luck would be that good. It never was. She focused on cooking the venison, not wanting it to get overdone. Now that she had something else to think about she could relax. She flipped the steaks after a few minutes, humming quietly. 

"Don't peek," Alesan said, standing near the oriental dresser near the door to the workout area. He dropped the towel, pulling on a pair of sweat pants that fit before tossing the towel into the dirty clothes basket sitting near the stairs.

D'usha finished his shower, coming out with a towel around his waist. He headed for the dresser as Alesan stepped back up to the stove, thanking Mira for helping, only to get the towel ripped away from his body, leaving him stark naked. The cold made him shiver as he turned to glare at Solitar, "give it back, Sol."

"No," Solitar said, holding the towel out of D'usha's reach as the argonian tried to grab it.

"Goddamnit, you fucking brute! Give it back, or else!"

"Or else what?"

D'usha ground his teeth, snatching the towel from Solitar's waist with a triumphant "HA!"

Solitar yelped at the chill, wrapping the towel he stole from his brother around himself as D'usha did the same, hurrying away from the larger man to quickly put on some pants. 

Alesan sighed and shook his head, "you guys are idiots."

Mira's mouth fell open in shock and she turned pink all the way to the tips of her ears again. She was wracking her brain for something she had done to deserve this torture and coming up empty. Once again the beast piped up in her head, ' _Just relax and enjoy the show.'_ That made sense for once, so she took a deep breath and walked over to pull her scissors, needle, and thread out to fix the hemline on her gown. "I know you two are proud of your bodies, and you have good reason to be, but there _is_ a woman present so maybe you can keep your dicks to yourselves?" There was still a faint cute blush on her cheeks, but she was chuckling now. She took a couple of measurements and then quickly fixed the length and took in the waist.

D'usha, now wearing pants, gave her a raised eyebrow before shaking his head at Solitar... who just dropped his towel. D'usha facepalmed, groaning as the altmer stood completely nude, doing strong man poses and flexing. D'usha gave Mira an annoyed glare, "you just _haaaad_ to say something."

Alesan was chuckling as he finished off the steaks.

"Really Sol? Fine, you wanna do the opposite of what I say... I have an idea." She grinned wickedly and walked toward him with a sexy sway to her hips, making both young men stare. At the very last second, she stooped down and picked up the damp towel at Solitar's feet and snapped his stomach with it lightly.

He let out a soft sigh, licking the corner of his mouth as something primal flickered through his golden eyes, "I like it rough," he growled in a low, gruff tone, giving her a charming half-smile. 

The small woman's eyes widened as she dropped the towel and backed away. That wasn't the result she had expected! Taking another couple of small steps back she ran into the edge of D'usha's bed and fell back into it with a yelp while the altmer followed her. He was almost to her legs when D'usha appeared with a bucket, dumping ice-cold water over his brother's head. Solitar hollered, shivering from the cold water as he gave the argonian a glare before his eyes went wide as the amber wolf eyes glaring back.

"Go cool off," D'usha said, his voice a slight growl.

Solitar swallowed, taking a few steps back before going to retrieve his towel from where Mira dropped it. 

D'usha took a deep breath, calming himself and feeling his beast subside before looking at Mira sitting up on the bed, "you alright?"

"I'm fine thanks, sweetheart. I didn't think he was going to hurt me or anything, I was just startled. Note to self, don't 'punish' Solitar!" She got out of the bed with a small laugh and hugged D'usha as thanks. That had been exciting to say the least. In more ways than one... That sort of aggressive, dominant behavior was always something that pushed her buttons. "Actually I think I need to cool off too," she admitted.

"Yeah, well... the only one allowed to fuck anyone in my bed is me so..." he cleared his throat as he stepped away, "you know where the shower is, just try not to think about the three of us showering in there before you." He smirked, moving to take a seat at the counter as Alesan passed out the plates.

"Okay I deserved that, and I'm not going to add to the nudity. I don't think that would help so no shower." She followed him over to get some food after she set a dish of the tarts within reach for everyone. Settling in to eat instead. After she was finished she would do her evening stretches to calm down. Good food also helped with that. "Sorry about the drama guys." Then she filled her mouth with food and went quiet.

The three chuckled.

"Drama?" Solitar asked, giving her a boyish half-smile and a raised eyebrow.

"It's like you don't know who we are," Alesan chuckled, setting his plate in the sink.

"We're Dovahkiir, baby. Drama is our bread and butter," D'usha said with a grin as he and Solitar fist-bumped behind her back.

"Damn straight!" Solitar said, grinning himself, "wouldn't be Dovahkiir if we weren't in the drama."

"GO DOVS!" the three shouted, laughing like they used to when they were children.

Mira pushed her empty plate away with a satisfied hum and then covered her mouth as she yawned widely. "Oooh, I think it's time for me to go to sleep. I'm gonna take the couch so you don't have to put up with my drunken cuddling tonight."

"But I like drunken cuddles," D'usha whined, giving her a smirk as she stood.

She stretched before rummaging through her pack for sleepwear, ducking behind the screens to change. Normally she wouldn't bother, but she had just told them off for getting naked in front of her. The woman came back out in a tunic that fell almost to her knees and her hair let out of its braid so she wouldn't end up with a headache.

Solitar and Alesan retreated up the stairs to the lounge area, leaving D'usha to clean up dinner. He didn't mind. It was one of those things that you miss doing when you live alone... only sometimes. He glanced at Mira, shaking his head as he dried the plates, "I've got the couch. You can have the bed," he said, ignoring what she had said earlier, "unless you'd rather we all just dogpile in the bed. It's big enough, anyway, but Sol snores and Al likes to sleep sprawled out like the main character in an anime."

"D'usha, I've been sleeping in a bedroll on the floor, a couch is an improvement. But if you want me to take the bed, I'm not going to argue with you. To be honest, I've been missing my usual nighttime snuggling and Agamor snores too," She said with a shrug, "so we could share the bed." She got off the couch and walked over to the lounge back on the pile of pillows in his plush bed.

"I didn't actually think you'd take me up on it but, hey, who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth?" he said, tossing the dish towel onto the counter and heading over to the bottom of the stairs, "yo, Al, Sol! You guys wanna sleep in a real bed or you good with the hammocks?"

It was quiet for a few moments before the two men trotted down the steps.

"Fuck yeah I wanna sleep in a real bed," Solitar said, practically leaping onto the bed. He nuzzled the blankets and sighed, "Gods I miss my bed at the castle."

Alesan shook his head and rolled his eyes as he yawned, "you sure about this, D?"

D'usha shrugged, "I don't care and Mira suggested it."

"No, you suggested it... I just like cuddling so I went with it." She laughed at Solitar and patted the bed at either side of herself. "Make yourselves comfortable guys. I'm not going to bite you." With another big yawn, she settled further into the bed. She had to admit this was nicer than her camp bed.

Alesan nodded, looking too tired to complain or argue about it as he gave Solitar's foot a smack, "lay right, ya dick."

Solitar huffed, already half asleep before lazily crawling up to the pillows, grabbing a couple of them and hugging them with a sleepy sigh, "soft..."

Alesan rolled his eyes, crawling into the bed and pulling the blankets up to his chin, yawning as he slipped his arm around Mira's waist, nuzzling against her shoulder, asleep in seconds.

D'usha sighed, crawling up the from the end of the bed to lay between Solitar and Mira, pulling the blanket up over both of them, "geez Sol. Come on," he grumbled, shoving his elbow into Solitar's back, only to get a grunt and barely an inch worth more room. He sighed, rolling his eyes as he lay his head on one of the pillows, facing Mira, "and you're really okay with this?" he asked. The truth was, it reminded him of when he and his siblings were kids and they traveled with the large group of people their mother had gathered. It brought back a sense of security and family that he had almost forgotten about. 

"Of course, I would have insisted on staying on the couch or bed by myself if I wasn't." She simply held her free arm out to him with a smile. The other was sort of trapped between her and Alesan, she tugged it free with a grunt of effort. Other than that she felt really good just being close to someone she could trust. She let out a little purr as D'usha got into the bed on her other side and started dozing off before he was even settled in.

He sighed, resting his hand on her hip, his tail slowly curling around her leg as he nuzzled under her chin and giving her neck and shoulder a quick lick before falling asleep. Even mostly asleep she let out a little whimper that no one heard.

* * *

She had a little trouble pulling herself out of the men's arms in the morning, but she managed. Mira figured she could make breakfast and coffee while she waited for them to wake up. After studying the coffee pot for a minute she got it brewing and took care of her usual routine before she started on the food. Mira decided on fried potatoes and sausage, the living space filled with savory smells as she worked. By the time she was setting the table the brothers were starting to wake up. As they stirred she pulled down coffee cups and got out some juice in case they wanted it.

Solitar rolled out of bed with a yawn, stretching and scratching his ribs as he shuffled to the counter, pouring himself a cup of coffee, "morning," he said, taking a cautious sip from the cup, "mmm, smells good." He took a seat in front of one of the plates, stabbing a sausage with his fork and practically shoving the whole thing in his mouth, "mmm!"

"Mornin." She said with a grin. That was her favorite part of cooking, watching people enjoy it. She joined him with a sigh, skipping the coffee this time and going for orange juice. Mira hadn't been this content since she left home. When she saw how much Solitar was eating she was glad she had made enough breakfast for a small army because she could easily match his appetite despite being at least a foot shorter and much thinner. This feeling honestly had her thinking a bit more about expanding her little family, the older she got the better it sounded. Now she was daydreaming with a wistful look on her face. 

Alesan sat up on the edge of the bed, looking still half asleep as he yawned and scratched his arm, stumbling his way down the stairs and flopping down in one of the chairs around the counter. He yawned again as Solitar slid a cup of coffee toward him.

"Morning Al!" he exclaimed, getting a grunt in reply. 

"Well, now that most of us are awake, I have some serious grooming to do. Damn nobles have ridiculous standards at these things..." The only comfort Mira could take was that she didn't have enough body hair to bother with removing it. Which was lucky since her dress was partially see-through. Solitar's face was pretty comical when he saw how many things she was pulling from her pack. Since this was going to take a long time she took everything up to the lounge, that way she wouldn't be in the single restroom for hours. Mira set to the task of exfoliating, moisturizing, and applying perfume then brushing out her hip-length silver hair. The rest of her preparations could wait until at least late afternoon, but just this took an hour!

* * *

Solitar moved to the side of the bed, giving D'usha a shake, "D, wake up. Mira made breakfast."

D'usha grunted, pulling the blanket over his head, "go away," he said, his voice rough and muffled by the blankets.

"If you don't get up, I'm flipping the bed," Solitar warned, getting another grunt from his brother, "alright, I warned you." He took hold of the bottom of the bed, pulling with all his might only for the bed to not budge, "what the hell?"

"I bolted it to the ground since the last time you jackasses were here," D'usha informed him from under the blankets, "so fuck you."

Solitar huffed, glancing at Alesan, who was eating as if he were in a trance-like state, "Hey Al. Come help me."

Alesan didn't budge, taking another drink of coffee as if Solitar didn't say anything.

"Oi! Al..."

"I heard you," Alesan growled into his eggs, taking another bite and chewing slowly.

"You gonna help me or not?"

Alesan sighed, loudly, and stood from his chair, walking to the end of the bed and giving the covers a jerk, pulling them and D'usha off the bed with a grunt. "There. He's out of bed. Now shut the fuck up." He went back to his seat, flopping down in it and going back to eating.

D'usha groaned, sitting up in the blankets, yawning and stretching before getting to his feet and shuffling to the counter with the blankets wrapped around him. He took a seat next to Alesan, laying his head down on the counter and closing his eyes.

Mira walked back down the stairs wearing a simple tan dress and rolling her eyes at their behavior. "You really didn't need to wake him up yet you know. It's still early." But if they wanted to deal with him starting the day off in a grumpy mood then what could she do? She had been paying attention to how D'usha made his coffee the day before and set a cup of sugar and milk with a splash of coffee in front of him without saying a word. "You two sleep alright? I know I did... Even though I'm pretty sure D was licking me." She said with a grin.

Alesan grunted his reply, still not fully awake as he finished off his sausage.

D'usha looked up enough to set his chin on the counter, staring at the cup of coffee, "I don't remember," he muttered, sitting up enough to sip at the top of the coffee before wrinkling his nose, "ick."

"Why do you drink it if you don't like it?" Alesan asked in a low tone.

"Because I ran out of energy drinks a couple of weeks ago and forgot to ask mom to get me more," D'usha grumbled, sipping on the bitter drink.

Solitar set something beside D'usha's cup, drawing the lizard's attention to the brightly colored can. D'usha's eyes went wide as he, almost reverently, took the can, as if it were some great artifact in an old ruin. 

"Mara bless you," he whispered, opening the can and taking a long drink before breathing out a sigh of contentment, "oooooh yeah. That's the stuff."

Solitar rolled his eyes, setting a couple more cans on the counter, "just don't forget to call mom," he said, slapping his brother on the back.

D'usha nodded, downing the rest of the can as if his life depended on it.

Alesan finished up his coffee and took the plate and cup to the sink, snagging D'usha's partially drank mug on the way before starting on dishes. D'usha scarfed down his breakfast, seeming to barely taste it before putting his plate in the sink. 

"Thanks, Mira. That was good," he said, taking the cans to the fridge and opening another one.

"You're welcome." She replied with a smile, giving the can an odd look as her nose twitched at the unfamiliar smell.

"Don't drink all of them," Solitar warned.

D'usha waved it away as he downed half of the drink in a few swallows.

"D'usha, we need to talk about your addiction to energy drinks," Alesan said, finally awake enough to interact with everyone.

D'usha frowned at him, "I can stop whenever I want."

"Or whenever he runs out," Solitar said with a smirk.

"Exactly."

"Hey if it tastes good and wakes you up I'd drink it, but I have to admit they smell weird. Oh, I should give you this before I forget..." Mira pulled out the invitations and handed one to D'usha. "I'd recommend putting a fake name on this, mine is already done." She held up hers to show the alias she had written in flowing script near the bottom, reading 'Marena Brookerun of Silvenar, Valenwood.' At least she'd picked up useful skills for this sort of thing during her childhood training, she thought with a frown. She could easily blend in with the rich crowd thanks to her former master's insistence that she never embarrass him in front of guests. 

"Let me know what you choose and I'll write it in for you." She said as she pulled herself out of those irritating thoughts.

D'usha slid the invitation to Solitar, "you know what to do," he said taking another drink from the can.

Solitar sighed, "Zarain's better at this shit than me."

"And you're better than everyone else so shut up and don't give me a stupid name."

Solitar smirked, "so Earl of shitfaceington is out?"

D'usha narrowed his eyes at his brother, "yes."

"Aww, I liked that guy," Alesan said with a chuckle.

Solitar finished off the invitation with a few fancy swirls that there was no need for before handing it back to D'usha, "there you are, Prince Zarain Dovahkiir."

D'usha gave him a raised eyebrow before smirking, "I can live with that. It'll serve him right for ruining our game yesterday."

"The point was not to draw attention to your family, but what the hell he deserves it, and it's not like any of you can't handle a little trouble." She said with a wicked glimmer in her eye. Besides if the Berulus family came after Zarain for this, then they'd be asking for anything they got. It _really_ wouldn't end well for them... "Well isn't Rodick going to be excited? He'll be 'playing' with royalty tonight." Mira put special emphasis on the word playing, with a teasing tone. 

"Is Zarain even straight?" Solitar asked, furrowing his brow in thought.

"I think he's Asexual," Alesan said, drying the dishes and putting them away.

"Aromantic I'd say. As far as I know, he's still at least somewhat interested in sex." Mira said with a shrug, "Not that it really matters, because it's Rodick we have to worry about tonight."

"That wouldn't surprise me much," D'usha muttered, handing the invitation back to Mira, "you better keep ahold of this. I'll just end up losing it."

"Well, in our experience, even if you lost the invite, they might just let you in because, royalty," Alesan pointed out, cleaning the sink as it drained.

"True. I've slipped into a few parties I wasn't invited to because I dropped Dovahkiir at the door," D'usha admitted.

"Us too," Solitar said with a grin.

She took the paper and slipped it into her bag for safekeeping. "Even without the royalty thing I could get you in with my own invitation just because you're argonian. If it weren't for the perv's fetish I could do this myself, after all seducing then poisoning my targets is what I specialize in. But then I'd be missing out on your lovely company, so I'm not going to complain." This whole thing had been more fun than she'd had in ages. Even if she pretended not to, she thrived on the excitement. Mira was a performer by nature so drama honestly appealed to the theatrical part of her personality. "We have a few hours to kill before I have to finish preening myself half to death, so what do you want to do?"

Solitar slapped a deck of cards down on the counter, "how good's your poker face?"

"No," D'usha said, frowning at him.

"Why not?" Alesan asked, getting a glare from the argonian.

"Because you two cheat and I have no fucking idea how you do it."

Alesan and Solitar chuckled.

"What if we promise not to this time?" Solitar asked, putting his hand up as if to swear an oath.

D'usha snorted, "y'all are bandits by career. No fucking way."

"I have a lot of practice with keeping a straight face, but I'm afraid I'm no card player," Mira stated with a shrug if she wasn't good at hiding her real emotions she never would have gained a reputation as a black widow assassin. She had to be able to act like she was attracted to the scum so they'd make themselves vulnerable to her. "Buut, if we aren't betting money who cares if they cheat? I'm willing to learn the game."

"Ha! You're outvoted," Solitar said, shuffling the deck as D'usha heaved a heavy sigh.

* * *

Alesan leaned back in his seat, smirking as he put his hand on the countertop, "full house, eights over sixes."

D'usha growled, tossing the cards onto the counter, "fucking cheating son of a bitch."

Solitar chuckled, laying his down, "flush."

Alesan snorted, "he's right. You are a cheater."

"I am not," Solitar said.

Alesan narrowed his eyes at his brother, "yes you are."

"How the fuck would you know?" Solitar growled, glaring back.

"Because I'm giving you shit card on purpose," Alesan admitted, getting a sneer from the altmer.

"I knew you were dealing from the bottom of the deck. Dick," Solitar growled, handing the cards off to Mira.

She took the deck with a smile and started shuffling "I think I'm getting the hang of this." After a couple of rounds, she had really proven to be great at bluffing. Alternating between calm, nervous, and excitement, she fooled the boys a few times "Four of a kind." She said laying her cards down with a little smile, not a bad hand for a beginner.

Solitar nodded, "not bad, squeaker."

Both D'usha and Alesan gave him a raised eyebrow over their hands and Mira did the same.

"Squeaker? I'm sure I'm going to regret asking, but why?" Whatever the reason, this was going to be funny, although she might end up hitting him for it depending on how he answered. It was a weird thing to call her for sure.

"Short for bed squeaker," he said with a shrug, "you and Uncle Agamor did a lot of bed squeaking when we were kids and your bedroom was in the south wing where ours were so, I'm calling you squeaker."

"Wasn't much _squeaking_ going on, if I recall," Alesan muttered to his cards as D'usha chuckled. 

"Didn't you guys break his desk once and he had to buy another one?" D'usha asked, tossing the cards onto the counter. 

"I see..." Mira said in... ironically, a squeak. She was blushing deeply again, but she didn't mind much. If they were going to embarrass her she could probably do the same, her expression shifted to nostalgic amusement. "Mmmh yeah we did, that was a good day... What do you expect when you get two beast kin together, and the other is also a Dragonborn? Besides, men love a flexible woman... I'm sure you boys can think of a few reasons." She could see the wheels turning in their heads as they thought that through, doing that chuckle that was pure male.

"Yeah," Alesan sighed.

"As long as you've got the reach and she's got the flexibility, you're down for a _good_ night," D'usha said with a grin.

"Reach _is_ pretty important. Well, that was a fun way to kill time, but I should probably go finish torturing myself. Feel free to keep the game going..." She grinned at them and then gathered the rest of her beauty supplies and her outfit and went upstairs mumbling to herself "Already did the most annoying parts... Just hair, makeup, and dressing left..." Mira changed into her blue and gold formal outfit and began fixing her hair into a set of elegant braids and loose curls that complemented the backless dress. She was glad that the old sprawling scar wrapping around her ribs and left shoulder was hidden still. Personally, the mark didn't bother her, but nobles were picky bitches. She went light on the makeup of course and finished with orange blossom and ginger perfume. 

* * *

"What do you think guys, good enough for a bunch of snobs?" She asked as she strode down the stairs.

Alesan was fixing Solitar's sleeve when Solitar smacked him on the ribs, "ah! what the..." he trailed off at seeing Mira. The two stared at her, enthralled by her look.

D'usha grumbled as he stepped around the screen wearing the outfit he had worn during the wedding, tugging on the collar, "I hate this outfit." He paused, looking at Mira with a surprised expression before clearing his throat, his voice taking on a snobby, high society, nasally drawl, "Mira, my dear, you look absolutely ravishing," he said, giving her a low bow.

"Thank you, darling," she replied in a smooth purr, curtsying back at him. "You really should have let me alter at least the neckline, you weren't kidding about the 'choking' bit. Ah here, just undo this button. You'll be more comfortable and showing more skin is a plus at this point... I feel like half my butt is showing." Mira chuckled the dress had a mostly sheer skirt with a solid undergarment that only partially hid her ass. Definitely an eye-catching outfit on all levels. "You two clean up just as nicely, Sol you were right. Purple is definitely your color. I'm ready whenever you are." The bosmer said with a sigh. There was no way they'd be going anywhere without attracting a lot of attention, but that was exactly the point. 

D'usha snapped his fingers, "you there. Boy. Get me my neckerchief," he said, putting his nose in the air.

Alesan narrowed his eyes at D'usha, "you're damned lucky you have to stay clean or I'd turn you upside down and shake you."

Solitar chuckled as D'usha rolled his eyes, "just be sure to play your parts. I've mimicked Zarain enough times to get the tsundere shit down to an art form."

* * *

They made their way toward Rodick's mansion, Solitar and Alesan walking just behind them like good bodyguards while Mira walked beside D'usha with her arm laced through his arm. He walked with a completely different air than normal, seeming more regal and high society than before. His chin was up and his shoulders were back, his face maintaining an expression of, "I'm better than everyone here". Taking Mira's advice, he had unbuttoned his shirt down to about mid-chest, giving him more blessed room to breathe, but he still hated the outfit. _It's itchy_ , he complained in his head, fighting the urge to scratch his arms as the fabric tugged uncomfortably on his scales.

The doorman standing at the top of the stairs of the manor looked them over with interest before holding his hand out. "Invitations please." He said politely. Mira handed him the papers wordlessly and he double-checked the information before allowing them inside. "Thank you, ma'am."

Mira barely gave the man a second glance as she led the way into the large house, leaving Alesan and Solitar to break off from them to head for the servant's quarters. Another servant guided them to the ball room, which was already housing a few mingling nobles. One thing she knew was if you wanted to send a message you never arrived to a party exactly on time. Making sure no one else was in earshot she turned and spoke quietly to D'usha, "There's Rodick. I say we take a little time to socialize and give him a chance to come to us." She pointed out an attractive dark haired imperial man who was currently growling irritably at one of the waiters for a mistake on the menu. How charming... she thought as she kept a pleasant smile on her face.

D'usha nodded, "I gotcha," he said, snagging a glass of wine as he glanced around the room, noting the bards playing some soft music, with a few couples dancing stiffly near them, before smirking at Mira, taking half a step back as he bowed, "care to dance, Milady? The best way to remain part of the party and stand out is on the dance floor."

"How could I refuse an offer from such a handsome man? I'd love to dance." She let him take her hand and lead her into the open space. Placing her free hand on his shoulder in the starting position for most ballroom dancing. "Tango or something a little more sedated to start?" She asked as she noticed a few people already glancing their way. Including their host, although he didn't look for long yet. No reason to worry about that now, they had all night.

Rodick was still berating the server for his mistake but he took note of the unusually colored argonian and his wood elf companion. They made a striking pair to be sure... "How could you possibly think this presentation is acceptable? I specifically asked for these to be cut into triangles!"

"I'm sorry sir, the kitchens gave them to me lik-" The poor man tried to explain, but Rodick cut him off with a shout,

"I don't want to hear any of your pathetic excuses, get back to the kitchens and tell them to fix this immediately, you incompetent worm!" 

"Yes sir, right away!" The waiter scurried out of the ballroom like he was being chased by wolves.

D'usha smirked, "well, I didn't notice any brightly colored Argonians around so, what's the point in being subtle?" he asked, twirling her into his body, "besides, the samba would draw his attention more with the hip movements on my part, since I _am_ the bait, but first..." he pulled his phone out, quickly making his way to the music app on his phone, "we need some real music."

"You definitely have a point there, let's go for it." She agreed with a wide smile. He smirked as he pushed on the song, starting the [dance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pZ23eShemY) (music and all) with Mira. They twirled and shimmied on the floor, stopping those that had been dancing before them and drawing quite a crowd. D'usha wasn't paying much attention, getting into the music so much that he used the opportunity to rip his own shirt open, before meeting back up with Mira in the middle of the floor, grinning like an idiot. He half wondered if he hadn't have gotten into crime if he had been a street performer. _What am I thinking? I am a street performer,_ he thought, pulling Mira into his body with her leg hooked around his hip as a final pose, leaving them both breathless and panting.

She stayed in the suggestive pose and giggled while their audience stared in shock for a moment before someone began clapping and the sound quickly spread. After she was sure she wouldn't stumble, she stepped back, keeping D'usha's hand in hers and looking over toward Rodick. The man in question was ogling her partner with obvious desire. Leaning in to whisper, Mira pretended she was nuzzling his face. "That was fun and effective, you definitely hooked him! And a few others, just look at the blonde over there..." Mira nodded toward another woman whose lips were parted in surprise near Rodick.

D'usha smirked, giving a dramatic bow with Mira before they left the dance floor, looking for something to drink. "Now we wait."

"Get me the door man, I want to know who those two are." The imperial snapped at a passing servant who jumped to obey the order, returning after a few minutes that Rodick spent impatiently tapping his foot. Never mind the fact that he could have just asked himself...No he just continued staring at D'usha as the argonian sipped his drink.

"My apologies for the wait sir, what can I do for you?" The door man asked, and received an annoyed huff

"Who are they?!" Gesturing irritably.

"Ah, that would be Lady Marena Brookerun and Prince Zarain Dovahkiir my lord."

Rodick's eyes widened, "I didn't realize we had invited royalty... I should go and introduce myself to the lovely couple." He said with a calculating smile, waving his hand to dismiss both of the servants and striding toward his intriguing guests.

D'usha cleared his throat, "target approaching," he muttered into his drink, knowing Mira could hear him as he turned his back toward Rodick pretending he was looking at the alcohol lined up on the table. "You. Boy," he said, snapping his fingers at the bartender, who gave him the customer service "I'm dead inside" stare, "spiced wine." He felt awful talking to someone like that that didn't warrant it, but he suspected that Rodick would expect him to act like royalty. 

"I seem to have neglected my duties as your host, please forgive my rudeness your highness, lady Brookerun. No one saw fit to inform me that a prince was among us...If there is anything you need, please feel free to ask." The man kissed Mira's hand and bowed slightly to D'usha. "That was quite the performance you two put on. I must say I have never seen anything like it before!" Rodick seemed to almost forget Mira's presence as soon as he looked away. Not that she minded that, it would make killing the bastard a lot easier later. She didn't like being ignored but for the moment she didn't want his attention.

D'usha barely glanced over his shoulder at the man, giving him his best impression of Zarain's sneer. _Show time, D. Just think Zarain._ "Your servants leave much to be desired. I'm used to being announced upon my entry," he said, turning to give the man a disapproving glare as he folded his arms over his chest, making sure to flex slightly, "honestly, if my mother hadn't have talked me into it, I wouldn't have even bothered with your poor excuse for a party."

Mira suppressed a laugh at the act, it was just too perfect. It got harder as Rodick's face fell, and then he blatantly enjoyed the sight of D'usha's bare chest. She kept her expression disdainful as she joined in before he could defend himself. "Zarain darling, I'm sorry you have to put up with such nonsense."

"It's fine. I should be used to this kind of... display," he said, sneering at Rodick again.

"I will have to do something about their negligence after this evening... But for the moment allow me to make amends." Turning to the bartender he snapped, "you will give the prince and his lovely escort anything they desire for the rest of the night, nothing will be denied to them!"

"Of course sir..." He replied sounding exhausted already.

"Please avail yourself of the comforts of my humble home, and I will be at your service should you need me," Rodick said with a strained nervous smile.

"Hm, well it's up to you my lord, but he at least seems genuinely sorry for the insult," Mira said to D'usha seriously, while still glaring mildly at the imperial. 

D'usha glared at him before smirking, putting his hand out with a gody looking ring on one of his fingers. God only knows where he got it. "Kiss the royal ring," he said, giving the guy a smug smirk.

Rodick's eyes opened up wide and then narrowed slightly. With a badly disguised offended look, he did as he was ordered, but as he bent forward he suddenly realized that meant getting to touch the handsome argonian and his face brightened. With a firm but gentle grip he lifted D'usha's hand and kissed the ring.

Mira felt strangely protective at even this contact between them, especially when she was almost certain she saw Rodick lick his finger! ' _ugh what a weirdo'_ she thought. Out loud she said "Well at least he knows his place. Let's not be too hard on the poor man." She gave D'usha a subtle look, they needed to keep Rodick's interest so they could get him somewhere more private, so offending him too much would ruin the effect.

D'usha gave a slight nod with a smug smile, "I do love it when they know their place," he said, lowering his voice to something suggestive.

Rodick lifted his gaze to the two of them with interest, looking between them and then giving them a charming smile, "Now I wouldn't go quite that far my lady, but I can make an exception for a handsome prince." 

"He is rather striking isn't he?" Mira purred, looping her arm through his.

"Quite... If you would like, the three of us could retreat to my private rooms? I can guarantee we will be more comfortable there, and I'd love to get to know you both more... _Intimately..._ " He was clearly dying for them to say yes. The excitement in his eyes was overwhelming. Mira almost felt bad about how easily he was falling for the trap until she remembered one dock worker lamenting the disappearance of her son. Then all pity evaporated and left her wanting to just force a bottle of deathbell essence down his throat and be done with it.

D'usha scoffed, "you seriously expect _ME_ , Zarain Dovahkiir, to take you up on your offer? What do you take me for, sir!?! I am not a whore. I am a prince," he growled, turning on his heels, his tail flicking out at Rodick's shin, "approach me again when you remember your manners." With that, he snagged Mira's arm, roughly dragging her across the ballroom to a corner, where he stopped to chuckle at her disapproving glare.

"What the hell did you do that for?! I _swear_ if you make me have to come back here and do the job by myself later...." She hissed at him angrily, her eyes blazing, then she closed them and took a deep breath. Rubbing her arm where he had gripped it. " _Explain..."_ The woman said in a flat tone. He had better have a damn good reason for manhandling her and walking away from their easiest chance at doing this.

D'usha rolled his eyes, "look, this guy is probably used to his charming ways working the first time every time," he said, folding his arms over his chest, "he's not used to having to actually chase after what he wants. I should know," he rubbed the back of his neck with a sigh, "because I'm... like him... in a way..." he cleared his throat, "anyway, what better way to get him hooked than to make him chase after what he wants. If you know you can't have it, that makes you want it more. Besides that, it would also have been stupid for a _prince_ to just take him up on his offer right away like that. If I had been like, 'yeah, sure. Let's fuck', that would have raised some red flags in his head and we definately wouldn't have been leaving this place alive. Get me?" He glanced toward the other side of the room where Rodick stood, looking flustered that his attempt at charm failed, "now, we wait. If you're going to play the game, you might as well play it right." He gently took her hand, lifting her hand to his lips and brushing a kiss against her knuckles, meeting her eyes with heat-filled dark aqua eyes, "sorry about your arm, darling. I'll make it up to you later," he finished with a wink.

"Hm.... Maybe that would be a problem if you hadn't given him bedroom eyes with that 'knowing their place' line. Anything besides getting lucky left his mind the second you did that! But we're stuck with your plan now, we can't go back to him without looking like fools. So you better be praying that this works, because if it doesn't you'll have worse problems than Rodick's idiot guards...." Despite her temper still burning, that look and tone were a very good distraction. Mira wondered exactly what he meant when he said he'd make it up to her.

By the bar their target was raking his fingers through his hair with a mixture of confusion and frustration. He thought for sure that the young prince had been flirting... Had he misread the situation that badly? Damn! He would have to smooth things over somehow and hope for another chance. The wood elf woman by his side was right, Zarain Dovahkiir was a fine argonian specimen and Rodick wanted him in his bed more than any of the others he'd taken recently. Poor skinny fishermen and vagrant girls with dull-colored scales had nothing on the crimson beauty who was currently kissing his angry companion's hand softly. Even from this distance he could tell the graceful bosmer was fired up from his rough handling. After she answered whatever Zarain had said she seemed to melt a little. He certainly didn't blame her... Even while being a bit arrogant the prince exuded charm.

D'usha rolled his eyes, "you sound like Mother when dad takes over a plan. Threatening him to within an inch of his life," he said with a chuckle, "I'm a professional flirt, and Zarain it's the only one in the family that's observant enough to know who wants what. Besides that, I'm a thief. Flirting is part of the job description." He winked at her before rolling his shoulders and giving a yawn, taking on a more bored expression as he took a seat on one of the benches that lined the ballroom, lounging back with his arm over the back of the seat, his ankle crossed over his knee with his shirt still open, showing off his flat stomach and well-developed chest. He heaved a heavy sigh, purposely taking in a deeper breath than he needed to. He made sure to be turned more toward Rodick than the wall behind him as he motioned Mira to sit beside him, scooting toward the wall as he did. "Now, I'm using you as a prop. He gets a good look and when you sit here, blocking his view, he'll have to move to look again or make a move," he said, turning his head as if he were looking across from the bench to the other side of the room, showing the entire profile of his head, horns, snout and all, "it'll also show if he's still interested or not. If he doesn't move to look or come over here after a few minutes, I'll let you rip my arm off and beat me with it."

"Ripping your arm off is too obvious, not my style at all. But I'll give this a chance." She sat down beside him and leaned in to place her hand on his stomach. Intentionally blocking Rodick's view and teasing him by putting herself right where he would probably love to be. "Can't complain about this part anyway." She murmured close to his ear as she watched the nobleman shift jealously in his seat and grow frustrated when he still couldn't see.

D'usha chuckled, "down girl. Tease me too much and Uncle Agamor might have a fight on his hands," he purred back, acting as if he were barely interested. She just winked at him in response, then...

"Down? You mean..." She slid her hand a bit lower on his stomach. "No... That isn't what you meant." She teased.

"Damn that woman..." The imperial groaned deeply. After a few minutes of thought, Rodick got an idea. Turning to the barman he made a couple of demands and approached the pair with the oldest bottle of ember brand wine from his cellar and three ornate glasses. "I must humbly apologize for my earlier offense, it was never my intent to insult your moral standing or station. Please accept the finest vintage from my collection, I do hope you can forgive me, your highness." He bowed down low and set the bottle and glasses on the table in front of the bench.

Mira was slightly annoyed to find D'usha had been right but at least that meant they had another shot at her plan. She didn't know about him but she'd like to get out of this stuffy house and restrictive dress sooner rather than later. She kept silent this time, trusting D'usha to handle it.

He gave the imperial a look of "you're bothering me _again_?" before leaning forward to look at the wine bottle. The truth was, despite cleaning out his parents' alcohol reserves a few times with his siblings, he knew _nothing_ about wine, his parents being more liquor drinkers than anything. He narrowed his eyes at the bottle, looking as if he were studying it before giving a nod and sitting back to lounge on the bench as he examined his claws, "it'll do, I guess," he sighed, looking off to the side as if his attention were for too important to waste on the imperial. 

"You are a saint my lord, such a generously forgiving man." He poured the glasses for his guests and hesitated to fill his own. "I wouldn't want to impose any further on your patience but if you don't mind I would love to join you?" Rodick said looking absurdly hopeful.

Mira knew a decent amount about wine, certainly enough to know that ember brand was an expensive, high-quality, alcohol. She picked up her glass and gave Rodick an appraising look over its rim. "It's not a bad choice... I say let him have a seat. At least long enough to have a drink, then you can continue teasing. I know that's your favorite game." 

D'usha gave her Zarain's staple annoyed stare before sighing, "fine," he groaned, waving Rodick toward the seat next to him without saying a word, still looking bored and slightly annoyed. He halfway wondered if this was how Zarain always felt, so... depressed and angry. _Ick._ He leaned forward, taking the wine glass from the table before leaning back, swirling it around in the glass before taking a sip. _Bleck_ _!_ He fought to keep his face neutral as he tilted his head slightly, "pleasant bouquet. Though it lingers on the palette somewhat, but I'm not complaining," he paused, smirking, "for now."

"Thank you, I'm so happy you are enjoying it!" The man said as he eagerly took his seat with a wide smile. "I suppose your Mother sent you because of my family's influence over the local fishing trade? It is certainly an honor to have you here and I would Be glad to offer our service to the crown. We have many ships at our command and coin to offer the treasury. Forgive me I'm sure you don't want to discuss business..." Rodick simpered.

Mira suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, this guy was pathetic... Honestly, she liked him less and less every second. Stupid spoiled noble, and clearly delusional if he thought D'usha actually liked the wine. She had felt him shiver slightly at the taste and sympathized. The drink was sweet and syrupy with a strong heat but coated her tongue with a sour tang afterward, definitely unpleasant. "Oh yes, I'm sure you have _lots_ to offer..." She said in a suggestive voice. Gods the wine combined with this man's company made her want to puke! She kept playing her part though. "but you're right, we aren't here for work tonight. We're here for fun and so far you've disappointed us both." Looking bored and annoyed herself. At least she didn't have to fake that.

"I don't know. The dancing was fun, but I actually enjoy that," D'usha said, taking another sip of the wine. _I'm going to need a real drink after this,_ he thought, stifling a gag.

"Yes that _was_ fun, but that wasn't thanks to our host at all," Mira said with a genuine smile at him.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. It truly breaks my heart that this city and my household can't offer you the entertainment you deserve. Anything I can offer you is yours, for as long as you are here. Expense is no matter when hosting such important guests." from his tone Rodick was implying something less than innocent, and he also sounded just slightly concerned about what the prince could ask for. He wasn't actually in charge of the family fortune yet... His father would strangle him if he knew about such an offer, but he _really_ wanted the chance with the argonian and he would do anything to get it! Having a night with a prince was worth the risk to his well being

D'usha sighed, finishing off his wine before leaning forward to pour himself another glass, brushing his thigh against Rodick's as he did, "I doubt you could afford my expensive tastes. My family is very wealthy themselves and still cannot afford my expensive tastes." Truth was, he'd take a smelly dank tavern in a low end of town and a warm bottle of mead over the high society parties and stuffy nobles any day. You have more fun in those places anyway and that's exactly where he wanted to be. But first, he had to help Mira take care of this scuzzball. It actually amused him how much the guy was trying. _Might as well throw him a little bone,_ he thought as he leaned back, draping his arm over the back of the bench behind Rodick's back, being completely casual about it as he sipped on the wine as his fingers brushed Rodick's shoulder. 

"Well, I will still do my best to keep you amused." He sighed in pleasure then cleared his throat with a slight flush. He had to control himself, the touches could very well be accidental and he didn't want to seem too eager (too late for that.) He relaxed against the back of the bench further and brushed his leg against D'usha's again. Testing his reaction, and being pleasantly surprised when the other man didn't move away. The wood elf on the Prince's other side smiled indulgently at them both and he envied her casual touch to the argonians bare skin. Clearly the two were close, and he found himself wondering exactly what their relationship was? That show on the dance floor was pretty suggestive...

"You can certainly try, but dear Zarain is likely to ruin you if you try to keep up with him. In more ways than one, I'm sure..." Mira trailed off with a suggestive look and a light stroke of her hand up to D'usha's chest. She watched Rodick's eyes following the path of her soft pale hand over the scales under her fingers. He was swallowing hard and flushing even more. 

"Marena, that sounds like it would be worth every cent. Very tempting." His voice went low and seductive as he stared at the pair with obvious hunger. All sorts of fantasies began playing in his mind as he finished his first glass of the wine and poured another. The woman had barely touched her own and he suspected she was supposed to keep a clear head and protect her prince. No matter, she would be easily gotten rid of if she became a thorn in his side. such a little thing would be no trouble surely. Rodick had no idea who he was dealing with if that's what he thought.

Mira was watching the gears turning in his head at her comment and smiling. He was so easy, and if he really thought he could handle them both at once he really was stupid. They'd eat him alive if they actually intended to get him into bed. Of course it would be fun while it lasted but he might be traumatized afterward...

D'usha sipped the wine, trying to maintain his cool, but the guy's leg against his made his scales itchy with disgust. _I'm going to need a long shower in bleach to get this guy's gross off me,_ he thought, purposely finishing off his wine before pouring another glass. He sloshed the wine slightly over the side of the cup, covering his hand with wine, "ah, nutsack," he slurred, shaking his head as he put the glass down, frowning at his hand, "damnnent," he grumbled, putting the back of his hand to his mouth and licking up the back of his hand, curling his tongue around his fingers as he licked.

Both Mira and Rodick watched him clean the wine from his fingers, and even though she knew the drunken act was fake she admitted it was a good one. Not to mention it got both of them thinking about what else he could lick. _'focus Mira, that's not why we're here!'_ she reminded herself firmly. The display was meant to bait the imperial not her. "Oh do be careful, it's a shame to waste such good wine." She murmured with false worry.

"That's quite alright, I'm more concerned about those fine clothes being soiled. I can show you to the restroom to wash that off properly, wine makes things sticky as it dries." Rodick waved his hand dismissively as he answered in a strained tone, still thinking about D'usha's tongue flicking over his skin. _"ooh that was beautiful. he could spill the entire bottle and I wouldn't care if he cleaned it that way... or better yet let me do it.'_ That was the best idea he'd had in ages! Too bad he couldn't bring it up without risking offending the young man again...

D'usha sighed, "yeah.... thash a good idea," he said, pulling off his shirt and handing it to Mira, "hold thish. I doan wanna make it durty." He gave her a wink where Rodick couldn't see it before taking the wine and downing it, letting a couple drops slide from the corner of his mouth down his neck, chest, and stomach to disappear into his pants. He lowered the glass, running his tongue over the corner of his mouth. "You know, it gets better wif tiiiiiime. Hic. Damn. I shink I uh... hic..." he started giggling like the drunk he was pretending to be, leaning against Rodick and poking him in the chest, "you shur are... hic... aweshome." He lifted the glass to take another drink, frowning at the lack of wine, "awww, dick," he grumbled, holding the glass upside down and shaking it.

"Oh why thank you, the feeling is mutual I'm sure," Rodick exclaimed looking beyond thrilled as he made sure the argonian wouldn't fall by hooking an arm around his waist. This was a very big step forward, it seemed his chances were improving by the moment! "I would offer you more but this is quite strong stuff and I would hate for you to regret this evening by tomorrow morning." He guided them both back onto the bench, this time placing himself between his guests, much to Mira's irritation. But she would go with this... She turned her body toward the imperial and whispered in his ear,

"Well, he's certainly having fun now. It seems you're forgiven, by both of us." With that she ran a finger over his collarbone and sighed seductively, fluttering her lashes and looking at him with bright green eyes sparkling in amusement.

"That is wonderful Marena dear. I'm so happy!" Rodick shifted to throw his arm over her shoulder as well and nearly put his hand into the top of her dress to brush against her breast. Mira barely managed not to flinch or growl at the touch and pretended not to notice, finishing her glass of wine with a smile.

D'usha giggled like an idiot, "he said evening," he said stupidly, going into a fit of seemingly uncontrollable giggles before he stood, "I wanna dance! Let's dance!" He grabbed Rodick, dragging the man toward the floor as he stumbled, releasing him once they were on the floor before starting to dance, to the music, making sure to move his tail as he did. It was natural to do it anyway as he moved, but he wanted to emphasize his hips and tail movements as much as he could. _That's right, baby. Let me reel you in a little bit,_ he thought, twirling around with his tail wrapping around himself before going back to do some form of a hip-shaking dance, instantly regretting it. _Shit,_ he thought, feeling his stomach twist into knots.

Rodick really had no idea how to respond to that sort of dance but he was enthralled by the motions, his thoughts so deep in the gutter he didn't notice D'usha's face going pale. Luckily for them all, Mira had. She jumped to her feet, snatching a waiter's empty champagne bucket as she passed and thrusting it out toward him.

"I'm so sorry lord Berulus!" She said with alarmed embarrassment.

"I AM DOVAHKIIR! HEAR ME BLEH!!!" he shouted, vomiting on the floor. She cringed at the sound and Rodick looked positively green.

"Oh... Th-that's fine... Ugh..."

D'usha frowned, really feeling sick as he held his stomach. _Ugh... why is it when you puke you want your mommy?_ he thought, stumbling his way to the door, "ugh..."

"Prince Zarain... Where are you going?!" Mira followed him and only caught up after he made it through the doorway. She could hear Rodick following at her heels and a servant bitching about cleaning up after lightweight blue bloods. Gently catching D'usha with an indulgent coo of concern she turned to Rodick with wide, worried eyes, "I'm so sorry to ask this of you, but could you show me to a quiet place my prince can rest?"

"Of course Marena, it's no trouble at all. Let me help you, he must be heavy for such a delicate woman." The imperial slipped an arm around the other man and took most of his weight, which Mira allowed even though she could easily carry them both.

"Thank you for your generous hospitality." She purred as they wandered down the hallway toward an unoccupied bedroom in the private wing. This night was finally close to being over and she really couldn't wait! 

"Here we are, just relax your highness, Marena and I will make sure you are well taken care of." Rodick murmured as he helped the sick young man sit down.

"Sorry about your floor," D'usha groaned, feeling a little better but making sure to pretend he wasn't, "ugh... I shouldn't have drank so much so quickly." That was a lie. It wasn't the alcohol that made him sick, it was the stupid seductive seven veils spinning style dancing he was doing. _I shouldn't have span so fast,_ he thought, starting to wish the night was over already. "Mara help me," he gave Mira big eyes, "can you get me a water?"

"Yes, my dear." The room had already been set for guests so there was a convenient water pitcher and glass on the dresser that she filled and handed over. Leaning in to press a kiss to the side of his head, she whispered: "The rest will only take a few minutes and then we can get out of here."

D'usha nodded, taking a slow drink from the glass as he closed his eyes, as if trying to keep himself from vomiting again.

"Have a seat, lord Rodick, taking care of Zarain is my duty." The assassin kept up her act just a little longer... Not allowing the imperial to argue, he wisely sat in the chair beside the bed while Mira pulled a couple of vials from a hidden pouch at her side.

"What are those?" Rodick asked curiously, and she lied smoothly.

"Herbal remedy..." Before he could answer she turned and jabbed him in the side of the neck with something that caused a rapidly spreading weakness to flood him.

"AH! OW... Wha-what are you doing?" Rodick yelped, trying and failing to get out of the chair as the wood elf sat on the bed across from him with a cold smile. She held up a thin needle for him to see.

"I'm afraid I haven't been telling you the truth tonight... I'm here because your workers are tired of starving on the streets while you profit from their misery and force them to service you. Now there's no way you'll be getting out of here alive so I suggest you make this easy for us both."

Rodick looked panicked and tried to shout at her, "Y-you can't... Be hahaha, serious! Fix this immediately!" His face going red as he panted breathlessly.

D'usha chuckled darkly, "sure."

"Oh but I am, so you have two choices. One, give me a list of the people involved in the argonian disappearances and die as painlessly as if you were falling asleep. Or two, refuse and I'll force you to drink something that will make you feel like acid is burning you from the inside out. Either way, you die and I find what I need one way or another." She leaned forward and poked the shivering imperial's nose with a glimmer in her eye.

"I-I... Alright, I'll do it!" He sobbed and sniveled. Listing off a few names that Mira scribbled on a spare piece of paper. Immediately afterward she tipped a bottle of nightshade essence mixed with an extremely strong sleep tonic into his mouth. She watched him slump into the chair and checked his pulse. Finding nothing she straightened.

"Nice. Quick and quiet," D'usha said, getting to his feet and making his way to the man, rifling through his pockets for any trinkets. He smirked as he pulled out a modest coin pouch and a few pieces of jewelry before straightening himself and snagging a cloak hanging by the door, pulling the hood up.

"It's what I do now, let's get the hell out of here," Mira said with a relieved sigh. They were finally going to be free of this stifling place. Both of them walked out and headed for a rear exit that Mira had found while studying the floor plans in her research. Suddenly she heard foot steps and groaned. "Shit! Sorry D, your turn to trust me." With that she pushed them both into an alcove and guided him down to kiss him, hooking her fingers into the edge of his pants just as a guard walked past. D'usha grunted as the man did a double-take and rolled his eyes, surprised by the suddenness.

"Ma'am this is a restricted area. You both need to go back to the ballroom immediately," Mira jumped away with a genuinely guilty look.

"I'm sorry I didn't realize, we'll just... Go..." She tugged D'usha back the other way. 

He stayed quiet, still trying to recover and shaking his head. It wasn't any different than the tricks he used to get around guards sometimes, but it was a shock to have it done to him. _Now I know how those girls felt,_ he thought, clearing his throat as they rounded a corner, _well... it's not that bad._ They stopped before the ballroom, not wanting to draw more attention to themselves than needed. He glanced back the way they came, scanning over the hallway before his eyes settled on a window that led out onto the roof. Smirking as he took her hand and nodded, "come on. We'll have to get out the old fashion way," he said, heading back down the hallway.

"Fine by me." Improvising was a pretty important skill. If you couldn't adapt your plans it might get you killed. He inhaled, smelling polished leather and metal getting closer before ducking behind a curtain, pulling Mira into his chest as he pulled the drapery around them. He listened to the sound of heavy boots walking past, his heart hammering in his chest, but he enjoyed the thrill of the possibility of being caught. He peeked out as the boots became distant, watching the guard walk into another room before heading in the opposite direction. The smell of magic was coming toward them this time, so he pulled Mira into a vacant room... that turned out to be a closet. He wrinkled his nose at the smell of old mop water overpowering his sense of smell but watched as a mage walked past with another guard, the two talking about something that didn't interest him. When they were out of sight, he slowly opened the door, double-checking that they weren't circling back before stepping out into the hallway, once again, taking Mira's hand. They skittered along the walls, checking around every corner before moving until they could see a door leading outside. He couldn't hear or smell anything out of the ordinary, but it seemed too easy. A shriek echoed through the hallway, snapping their attention back toward where they had been. "Well, so much for sneaking," he said with a laugh, the two rogues racing toward the door without looking back. Guards ran in from the side, blocking their path but D'usha had a plan... well, a half of one, anyway. He grabbed Mira's hand taking a sharp turn and scooping her up before reaching the window, leaping out without thought or concern if it wasn't a sheer drop. "YOLO!" he shouted, protecting Mira's body as best he could as they tumbled down the rooftop, she still yelped loudly in surprise as they fell. He pulled his dagger, stabbing it into the edge of the roof as they went over, leaving them hanging just below where the guards would have been able to see. 

"That was exciting!" Mira said with a laugh as she shifted to hang from the stone gutter on her own just in case the roof tile gave out with their combined weight. She kept her eyes on D'usha, not overly fond of heights... "Alright, over the roofs to the back wall then?" She asked with a little pant, suddenly wondering if Solitar and Alesan had had this much fun. Knowing them they found some way to get into trouble, she thought with a grin.

D'usha nodded, pulling himself up enough to see that the guards had left before crawling back onto the roof. He put the dagger away, helping Mira back up to the roof, "lead the way," he said, looking over the edge of the roof as the guards ran around below, searching for them. He chuckled at the scene, thinking about how ants ran around in a tank before following Mira across the roof.

The bosmer was a stealth expert so she easily avoided drawing attention to them as she headed toward the back of the estate. The manor was stupidly close to its perimeter wall which left her shaking her head. "Poor design but definitely an advantage for us." She said before leaping the gap. Her dress floated up inconveniently and she growled as she pulled it back down. "Shut up D'usha!" She snapped as he laughed. Mira climbed over the chest height railing, hooking her sharp nails into the stone and scaling the wall as simply as she would walk downstairs.

D'usha... wasn't so graceful. He leaped over to the wall, only to stumble over the railing and fall to the ground, knocking the air out of his lungs. He grunted and groaned for a few seconds, trying to breathe again before getting to his feet, "shut up," he grumbled as he hid a smile.

* * *

They made it back to his hideout without a problem. One of the advantages of living on the outskirts of the city was that they could avoid guards of all kinds. D'usha let out a sigh, dumping the jewelry and coin pouch out on the desk as he walked it before pulling the cloak off his shoulders, "I'm going to need a shower. All that wine dripping down my body made me sticky in a way I do not like," he said, looking at one of the necklace pendants before tossing it back with the others.

"Take your time, afterward I have something for you. Consider it a thank you gift." Mira said happily as she took off her shoes and tossed them. Before he was even out of sight she was removing her dress and accessories and letting her hair down. "Oh gods that is such a relief!" She didn't even bother with getting fully dressed again, just throwing on her sleep shirt and relaxing on his couch while he showered. The rush of water falling was soothing as she finally got a chance to actually read her new book on plants.

He scrubbed the sticky wine off his scales, frowning at the red liquid pooling in a sheer pink tone around the drain before disappearing. He sighed, just letting his head hang as the water beat at his shoulders and ran down his body. He poured soap into a loofa, scrubbing at his body as he hummed [Lost Boy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5tljlBFkJw), the words starting to trickle out of his lips, echoing quietly through the room and gradually getting louder. He scrubbed his tail and around his horns, thinking about his mother singing the song when he was a child, smiling at the memories of falling asleep to her voice. _I should call her,_ he thought, finishing up in the shower and wrapping a towel around himself with a sigh. It was nice to get the gross off. He breathed a sigh of relief, ignoring the chill as he made his way to the fridge and opened it. "You hungry, Mira?"

"Starving, that party food sucked. But before you make anything... Or get dressed, you should let me use this on you. Promise you'll enjoy it after a dramatic night." She held up the special oil she had offered him down in the outlaws' refuge. "Of course if the idea of me rubbing you down is too much, you can do it yourself." Shrugging casually she set the tin down and went to wash her makeup off.

He stared blankly into the fridge, trying to wrap his mind around what she had said before standing straight and closing the fridge, "who needs to eat anyway?" he said, looking at the container, "what's it made of? Not that I'm allergic to much but, I'm curious," he smirked, "just in case I want to... entertain one of my many conquests." He sighed, feeling like a total tool, "alright, that sounded gross even to me. Channel Bishop much?"

"Thickened almond oil base and a tiny bit of honey, with sandalwood and musk for a scent. It also has a couple of healing ingredients for sore muscles." She said with a laugh at the mention of Bishop. "Completely edible if you felt like it, but maybe not with this specific one?" Mira didn't think either of the scents would be pleasant to taste..... "I also have one that's snowberry and mint if you prefer."

D'usha gave her an almost worried look, "do you want to give me a message or eat me?" he asked, chuckling. She just gave him an amused grin and snapped her teeth at him lightly.

"D'usha honey if I was going to eat you I would have done it already. I meant if you wanted to use it on someone else it would be safe. Should I take that as a yes?" Mira asked as she stretched her arms and legs out. Maybe she'd be tempted to take a nibble. It was only fair since he licked her and he promised to make up for his rough handling at the party too she thought with a smirk. 

"I might," he said, smirking, "if said person in question was willing."

"If you mean me, I don't see any reason to say no. Why don't you come lay down, and I'll get started." The little woman said casually as she walked to his bed with the snowberry and mint oil in her hand. She flexed and stretched her fingers to loosen up and waved him over.

He smirked, strutting toward the bed and crawling on it seductively, "towel on or off?" 

"Makes no difference to me. I already saw everything yesterday." Mira shrugged as casually as she could while remembering that. Choosing not to dwell on it she let him decide. Either way, she'd just enjoy the view.

He cleared his throat, having forgotten completely about that. He felt himself blush as he lay down, pulling the towel loose enough to drape it over his lower half, but not leave him completely exposed. He lay down with a sigh, making sure his arms were at his side, "whenever you're ready, sweetheart."

"Perfect." Mira praised, and then surprised him a little by swinging a leg over his hips and balancing above him so she could reach his whole upper body. Spreading the massage oil on her hands and starting with a light touch at the base of his horns, she made sure to always follow the direction of his scales. After Mira had coated his neck and shoulders, she began kneading the muscles firmly. Working tough knots loose patiently so it wouldn't hurt. "Tell me if you need a break, or more or less pressure anywhere okay?" Then she moved to his arms and on again to his lower back and tail. Mira was careful with the tail massage... She had heard it was a sensitive area and for some khajiit or argonians a bit of a turn on.

He groaned, half falling asleep, half aroused, turning his head slightly to looking at her... sort of, "if you need to rub harder, my tail isn't as sensitive as most. Comes from all the training Kaidan had me do. He knew that the tail is sort of a weaker point for argonians and made sure Ram'ku and I had a high pain tolerance," he sighed, "short of cutting it off, you'll be alright."

"That was wise of him." Mira replied quietly as she added pressure to the thick muscle at the base of his tail and massaged all the way down to the end. She was glad he wasn't too sensitive, he would get the most benefit from a firm rubdown. Periodically getting more of the oil she rubbed his legs all the way down to the soles of his feet, and then sat back with a happy sigh. "All finished D."

"Mmm," he grunted, lifting his head a bit before rolling over, making sure to keep himself covered as he gave her a smirk, "now the front and feel free to grind a little in the groin area." He meant it as a joke but part of him wanted her to take him up on it.

"Bad boy! Still... Tempting." She swatted him lightly and then got a thoughtful look. Shaking away the invasive whispers of her beast voice urging her to go with it, Mira started the massage back up at the top of his chest. Sitting on his thighs below his groin with a slowly growing blush. Her chest brushed against his abs every time she leaned forward. _'Gods why do I torture myself like this?'_ She thought to herself... She actually wanted to do it, especially when D'usha was making pleased sounds as she rubbed his ribs and stomach, stopping right at the edge of the towel slung low on his hips.

"I'm only as bad as I want to be," he sighed, looking at her with amber eyes, his voice becoming a slight growl, "and I can be very, _very_ bad."

Mira's eyes widened and she let out a soft whimper. Their teasing had been slowly pushing the tension between them higher and higher... She was shaking with excitement and knew he would be able to smell it. _'Give in... You know you want to. So does he.'_ the beast purred smoothly. Mira was torn between acting on her overpowering lusty instinct, or bolting to take a cold shower. The beast was right, she wanted this. But what about her mate? _'He won't mind... your rules said someone you love, share a bond with... Don't they?'_ That was true....

He slowly licked his lips before sitting up and placing his hand against her cheek, "you look scared," he purred, sliding his hand to the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her silver hair, as he started to lean forward, "if you don't want to, Mira, just say no and it'll stop." His voice was calm and a soft whisper as he spoke, stopping within inches of her lips.

"Not scared... just thinking." Giving in, she closed the gap between them and kissing him with a little uncertainty, if only because she was new to argonian kisses. Mira decided to let him take the lead in the kiss and settled her weight over his hips to give him the grinding he had jokingly suggested earlier. That felt very nice with only the towel and her thin underwear between them "Mmmh!"

He groaned, sliding his hands down her body to hold her hips as his tongue slipped between her lips, curling around her tongue. He broke the kiss, nibbling his way down her chin, jaw, and neck, sliding his hands around to grip her ass as she ground on him. He inhaled, giving a low, drawn-out growl, "Gods you smell good."

"Uhhh, D'usha..." Sighing, she moved her hips in slow circles. Teasing them both by keeping the friction light. Enough to excite, but not satisfy either of them. With a smirk, she thought _'If he wants more he'll have to take it.'_ To make up for it Mira licked and nibbled at his jaw with a deep purr and dragged her nails over his shoulders.

He groaned, placing his hand on the back of her neck, twisting while keeping her against him as he lay her back on the bed. He slid his hand up under her shirt, pulling it up to reveal her soft stomach as he grazed his talons over her ribs. He smirked, leaning down to nibble at the scar.

"Ooooh." The skin there was sensitive and she shivered, arching her back to push into his hands. She wrapped one leg around his hip to brush over his tail softly. Her hands slid down his spine and toward the front to splay out on his lower belly. She squirmed under him at the continued teasing. "D'usha, that feels good... Mmm!"

He chuckled, taking her hand and giving it a soft kiss, "I do my best," he purred, sliding down her body while keeping eye contact, lowering himself between her legs. He inhaled her scent, groaning. He shifted forward, pressing his snout against her crotch and nibbling at her through the cloth.

"Well, that's ah..! One way to make up for manhandling me tonight. I only like that in the bedroom." She started off with a laugh that cut off in a low moan. Mira made room for him as her legs fell open and trembled slightly. The thrill of his sharp teeth grazing her cunt made her even more aroused. Her inner beast hissed _'finally'_ and she agreed for once. "Uhhh, g-gods D'usha, please..." 

He smirked, curling his tongue around the crotch of her underwear before pulling the cloth into his mouth, snapping his jaws closed, his teeth cutting through the cloth cleanly, leaving her exposed. He breathed out, hot breath sliding over her slit, "Please what?"

"Just... don't tease for too long. I can get a bit... aggressive." Watching him ruin her clothes to get more contact was a definite turn on. If he kept acting like that she was going to melt! In the bedroom was the only place Mira would let someone else take control of her, and be happy about it. She reached down and rubbed her fingers between his horns with a sigh.

He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her fingers around the base of his horns. Rarely did anybody touch around his head, mainly because of the horns, but it was still a more sensitive area... on him, anyway. He sighed, running his tongue over her cunt, giving her clit a flick before repeating the motion, his hands sliding up her body and under the shirt, gently massaging her breasts as he lapped at her.

"Oh yes! So good..." Mira began panting right away, all the build-up making her more responsive, of course, that had a lot to do with D'usha being good at this too. She covered one of his hands with hers and encouraged him to be rougher while she kept petting him. Her legs shifted restlessly as she arched her back again and her head fell back. 

He pressed his snout harder against her cunt, his tongue sliding into her and curling inside her before sliding out most of the way and repeating the motion, growling to vibrate his tongue as he did.

"Ahhh fuck D'usha." She was moaning and rolling her hips up into his tongue, shaking harder. It wouldn't take much more the get her coming and she wanted it so bad! She would beg shamelessly if he didn't give it to her soon... Not that he was teasing her anymore.

He growled against her pussy, removing his tongue from her to rub roughly against her clit, enjoying the noises she was making before something broke his concentration. He continued to rub her clit with his tongue while he tried to figure out what that was until it hit him. His phone. _Just once I wish I was a normal argonian without a phone,_ he thought, reluctantly pulling himself away from her, "give me a second," he said, his voice a rough growl as he stumbled off the bed and to his phone sitting on the counter.

Mira let out a disappointed whimper, but let him go just as reluctantly. With a sigh she dropped back onto the bed and waited with just a little impatience, she had been getting so close... Oh well, she supposed it would be worth a little extra waiting. She briefly debated following to nibble at his neck but decided against it since she didn't know who was calling or why.

He frowned at the screen, rolling his eyes as he did before answering, "yes Al?"

"What the fuck, bro!?!" Alesan sounded frustrated.

D'usha thought for a second before chuckling coyly, "Oh... oops. Sorry, we completely forgot about you guys."

"We know," Alesan growled before sighing, "I take it everything went well since we had to fight our way out."

D'usha chuckled, glancing over his shoulder, "you could say that."

Alesan was quiet for a few seconds before groaning, "dude..."

D'usha laughed, "yeah, everything went as planned. The scale humper is dead and we're alive," he said, leaning on the counter and tapping his finger, trying not to be obvious about having Mira spread out on his bed, waiting, "so, what're you guys going to do now?" he asked, half actually curious and half just trying to be polite. It wasn't often that he saw or hung out with his siblings, so he worried about them, but still, there was an impatient looking bosmer laying in his bed watching him with expectant eyes that he should really get back to...

"Tell them I'm sorry too, but call back later. We're sort of in the middle of something." She sighed while running her hands over her bare legs and stomach. Licking her lips and enjoying the sight of him standing there trying not to ditch his brothers again. Mira really wouldn't mind much if he spent some time talking to them, she had hands and knew exactly how to use them to keep herself entertained. With that thought, she trailed one hand down between her legs to play while she waited "Mmmh..."

He stared for a few moments, doing the absent-minded "uh-huh. Uh-huh. Yeah." He licked his lips, watching her, barely hearing Alesan in his ear before clearing his throat, "Yeah, sounds good. I've gotta go," he said, not waiting for Alesan's reply before hanging up, leaving the phone on the counter as he started back toward the bed, his dick hard as a rock. He had just crawled onto the bed when the phone rang again. He heaved a heavy sigh, contemplating not picking it up before sighing again and going back to the counter, now feeling frustrated as he answered the phone without checking the screen, "what?" he snarled without meaning to.

"Watch that tone boy or I'll knock it out of you next time you're here," a deep growling voice said on the other end.

D'usha's eyes widened for a few moments before he sighed, "sorry... Agamor," he mumbled, glancing at Mira, "what's up?"

"Oh..." Mira whispered almost silently first blushing and then going pale. In the heat of the moment she felt sure her mate would be alright with what she was doing, but hearing his name made her feel guilty. She tugged her tunic down to cover herself with a frown, curious to see why Agamor was calling.

"Zarain told me that you, Alesan, and Solitar were helping Mira with her contract. Did he actually give her the book or keep it for his own collection?" he asked, sounding annoyed.

D'usha nodded, "yeah, he gave it to her," he said, thinking _now I want to give it to her_. "Speaking of giving it to her. You don't mind if I fuck her brains out, do you?"

Agamor was silent for a few moments before giving a growl, "that's not funny, D'usha."

D'usha forced a chuckle, "I thought it was," he said, feeling both disappointed and annoyed.

"Can I talk to her?" Agamor asked, sounding hopeful.

D'usha frowned and sighed, covering it up with his usual, joking whine, "I guess." He took the phone to Mira, handing her the phone with a frown, "Agamor..."

"Hello love, it's good to hear from you. The job went well, no problems we couldn't handle... Were you just checking in or do you need something?" She asked nervously, rubbing at the back of her neck. Mira knew Agamor would have questions about her tone but she would handle things as they came up.

Agamor was silent for a few moments before chuckling, "why do you sound like a teen caught necking?" he asked, teasingly.

D'usha rolled his eyes, taking a seat behind her, sliding his hand around her waist as he nuzzled her shirt collar to the side, nibbling on the crook of her neck.

"Uuuhhh... Well, D'usha wasn't exactly kidding a minute ago...." She said as calmly as she could while D'usha was teasing her. The couple had been together for years now and Mira had never strayed from her promise at all until now. She still wouldn't if he was going to be upset. He was smart enough to know what she meant and the rest of her night depended on how he answered.

D'usha froze, thinking of all the ways Agamor would kill him as he waited, listening.

Agamor got quiet for a few seconds before taking a deep breath, "is he going to be the... third or just a fling?" 

He didn't sound angry, but D'usha knew from the tone he wasn't exactly happy. He set his chin on Mira's shoulder, caught up in his own thoughts.

"Neither without your permission darling, exactly as I promised you from the beginning. Whether he wants to stick around or not is up to D'usha." She squeezed the younger man's hand in reassurance, honestly comforted by his closeness. Mira still felt guilty but they hadn't gone _too far_ before the interruption. "You know you are still my heart and soul, that will never change." Her tone was warm and loving as she finished speaking, she hoped he knew exactly how much she adored him...

Agamor sighed again, going quiet for a few long minutes as if he were thinking before sighing again, "fine, but as soon as you're home, we're going to your cabin for a week. I'll want to get his smell off you."

D'usha felt slightly relieved, but the pit of guilt in his stomach was still heavy.

"There's something to look forward to! We can stay at the cabin for as long as you like. All my love dear, I can hardly wait to be back." She leaned into D'usha's arms and nuzzled his jaw when she saw how down he looked.

D'usha smiled slightly, _Zarain's right. It is easier when you don't know the people involved,_ he thought, chuckling at something that popped up in his head.

"I can hardly wait as well," Agamor said, pausing for a second, "don't be surprised if I'm a little cold toward you when you get back though. I know I already said yes and I'd rather you be in one of the boys' beds than a stranger's, but it's not in my nature. I'll get over it eventually."

"I don't blame you for that, neither wolves or dragons are known for sharing. I'm sure I can find a way to warm you up again..." She said pleasantly, even with a dragon's hot temper he had never been able to stay mad at his gentle and nurturing mate. He might hit D'usha though...

"Alright. I was just worried. I love you, Mira," he said, softly.

"I love you too, very much. I'm in perfect health and very glad you called." Mira replied with a broad smile. 

D'usha smirked, "so, should I video it and send it to you or do you want to watch live?"

Agamor was quiet before clearing his throat, "next time you come home, D... watch yourself."

D'usha chuckled as he hung up and Mira handed the phone back to him.

"Oh, D'usha that wasn't very smart. I'd stay out of his way for a while if I were you." She said with a slight wince, then brightened back up. "Now, where were we? Ah, somewhere like this!" With that Mira climbed up the bed to lay against his pillows and slip one hand down to resume toying with her clit in his full view. She held the other out to D'usha invitingly and grinned as he crawled up the bed toward her.

"I'm going to enjoy this," he purred, nuzzling her neck as she giggled. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoyed this chapter, you're going to love Kiba's story about Mira!  
> https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiba_Lover23
> 
> Yes, I did use the Sims 4 to create D'usha's hideout. It took about eight or nine hours and I think it turned out pretty good.
> 
> P.S. It's Agamor not Agamore. My fingers were working too fast and I didn't feel like fixing it. My bad.


End file.
